Provincial promotion key for club competition

AIB are to launch a marketing drive to enhance the profile of the club championships provincially to match the popularity of the competitions at national level.

And GAA President Sean Kelly hopes to have the finals of the new junior and intermediate championships played in Croke Park.

Mr Kelly was speaking in Cork yesterday at the launch of the 2005/2006 championships in Nemo Rangers' new headquarters, which he described as "the finest" sports complex outside of Croke Park.

The sponsors chose Cork as the venue this year to honour the city's ranking as European Capital of Culture and to recognise Nemo's unique record of seven All-Ireland titles won over four decades.

Speaking on behalf of AIB, Billy Finn remarked that with clubs in the city and county having accumulated 20 titles in hurling and football since the inception of the championships in 1971, there was an added incentive for one of them to bring the 21st title to Leeside next March.

Highlighting the importance of the club championships, Mr Finn said they were unique in providing a platform where everyone "could dream" of All-Ireland success, regardless of age or size.

"Wins by small clubs like Newtownshandrum and Caltra have shown that any club, not just the big ones, can know success," he said.

Mr Kelly said that attitudes towards domestic competitions had changed radically over the past two decades, from when supporters were only concerned about their own counties to now, when they monitor the progress of the top teams in all four provinces.

"Without the clubs there would be no inter-county championship and we should not forget this,' he said.

"The club championship is all about community and family. It has captured the public imagination in a way few would have thought possible."

Guests at the launch included successful Nemo Rangers captains Colm Murphy, Jimmy Kerrigan, Steven O'Brien and Colin Corkery, along with Newtownshandrum's winning captain John McCarthy. Brian McEvoy and Eoin Larkin represented hurling champions James Stephens.

Jerry O'Connor is a prime example of the value of the club championships in terms of boosting his Cork profile.

A spectator at the 1999 All-Ireland hurling final when twin brother Ben won his first medal, he agrees that Newtown's successful 2003/'04 campaign helped him establish his place in the Cork team.

"That's where you are seen, where you have an opportunity of putting yourself in the limelight for inter-county selection," he said.

"And it means an awful lot to club players who might never otherwise get a chance of getting to Croke Park unless they pay for their ticket on All-Ireland final day."

"Without the clubs there would be no inter-county championship and we should not forget this,' he said.

"The club championship is all about community and family. It has captured the public imagination in a way few would have thought possible."

Guests at the launch included successful Nemo Rangers captains Colm Murphy, Jimmy Kerrigan, Steven O'Brien and Colin Corkery, along with Newtownshandrum's winning captain John McCarthy. Brian McEvoy and Eoin Larkin represented hurling champions James Stephens.

Jerry O'Connor is a prime example of the value of the club championships in terms of boosting his Cork profile.

A spectator at the 1999 All-Ireland hurling final when twin brother Ben won his first medal, he agrees that Newtown's successful 2003/'04 campaign helped him establish his place in the Cork team.

"That's where you are seen, where you have an opportunity of putting yourself in the limelight for inter-county selection," he said.

"And it means an awful lot to club players who might never otherwise get a chance of getting to Croke Park unless they pay for their ticket on All-Ireland final day."

* Eoin Larkin is to travel to Australia with the Army team next week, but will opt out if James Stephens are successful in Sunday's Kilkenny SHC semi-final against Graigue-Ballycallan.