O’Neills to sponsor seven-a-side competition

O’NEILLS Irish International Sports Company have announced that they are the new sponsors of the Kilmacud Crokes All-Ireland Football Sevens tournament for the next three years.

The tournament this year celebrates its 31st anniversary and is being held at Glenalbyn, the home of the Dublin club on Saturday, September 27.

The seven-a-side competition has become the traditional curtain-raiser on the eve of the All-Ireland football final at Croke Park the next day and is now a permanent fixture in the GAA calendar. The tournament consists of teams that qualify by winning their respective county championship and top club teams specially invited for the occasion, ensuring a top-quality spectacle.

Making the announcement yesterday Tony Towell, managing director of O’Neills said: “The popularity of the Kilmacud Crokes All-Ireland Football Sevens seems to grow and grow. We at O’Neills are delighted to be involved with this event that gives Ireland’s best club players the opportunity to show their skills and to compete on one of the most important weekends in the Irish sporting calendar.”

The chairman of Kilmacud Crokes football committee Pauric McMenamin said: “We are delighted to be associated with O’Neills. This is an ideal partnership with the premier Irish sports manufacturer linking up with Ireland’s premier football seven-a-side competition.

“Kilmacud Crokes look forward to a long-lasting and mutually beneficial relationship with O’Neills over the coming months and years.”

Meanwhile, the Foras na Gaeilge All-Ireland senior championship semi-finals will be played as curtain-raisers to the All-Ireland U21 hurling semi-final between Galway and Tipperary in Cusack Park, Ennis on Saturday August 23.

Limerick will face Tipp at 1pm while champions Cork play Galway at 2pm. Croke Park yesterday announced that the All-Ireland minor B hurling quarter-final between Kerry and Westmeath scheduled for Nenagh on Saturday has been postponed.