A weekend of giving for one goal

IT'S a weekend of giving on the sporting scene in Ireland.

The GOAL charity has called for a co-ordinated fund-raising effort to be made at every sporting event in Ireland this weekend in aid of survivors of the tsunami disaster, and the various organisations have responded magnificently.

According to a spokesperson in Croke Park, all the proceeds from every GAA game in the four provinces will be donated to the fund.

"Each province has their own way of doing things; some allow free admission into the game, and they'll be making their own donation on the basis of what would have been collected, while patrons will also be asked to make a donation to the fund at the entrance. Regardless of how it's collected, all proceeds will go to the disaster fund."

In rugby, the biggest game of the weekend is undoubtedly the critical Heineken Cup match at Thomond Park this afternoon, between Munster and the Ospreys.

If the returns from last week's game in Musgrave Park between Munster and Leinster are any guide, this fixture should provide a bumper return.

"There was a little over €15,000 taken in the bucket collection in that game," said Munster PRO Pat Geraghty, "and we had already pledged the proceeds from the programme sales, which brought the total to over €20,000. We'll be doing another collection again in Thomond Park, before the game and also at half-time."

Basketball was another sport that got in early, but they too will be supplementing the funds already raised.

"A number of clubs actually ran collections at their games last weekend, at the cup games, and they've made donations directly to GOAL and to the Red Cross," explained Siobhan Keane, of Basketball Ireland. "This weekend, at every adult SuperLeague and Women's Cup games, Basketball Ireland is donating two adult weekend passes to the Cup Final Weekend at the end of January, worth about €100 each; the clubs will hold a raffle for those passes, tickets €5 each."

The GUI, representing golf, is still organising its fundraising events, but it will probably be off-course, as this is hardly the high season for golf. Hockey has the same problem.

Coursing has answered the call and Sevenhouses and Tubbercurry have events planned this weekend.

"We'll be giving a percentage of our raffle," said Michael Kilcoyne in Tubbercurry. "There won't be a whole lot in that, probably a few hundred will be the height of it, but we're also doing a big night in Shelbourne Park later on."

The soccer season has ended on this side of the pond, but the FAI will be getting involved, at a later stage, according to Pat Costello.

"A team made up of Football Association of Ireland staff and members of the Soccer Writers' Association of Ireland will take on an Oireachtas team in a charity game at the end of the month with the proceeds going to GOAL. This is only an initial event, however, there will also be more fundraising activity around our friendly game with Portugal on February 9."

Horse Racing Ireland has collections at Navan Racecourse today and Leopardstown Racecourse on Sunday.

Over €70,000 has already been pledged by jockeys forfeiting their riding fees and the Trainers Association has donated €40,000.