Rebels chip in for charity

GOAL’S Niger famine appeal fund has benefited to the tune of several thousand Euro as a result of the involvement of members of the Cork team in a hurling summer camp promoted recently by a local radio station.

In different circumstances, the players could themselves have been the beneficiaries from their presence at the camp, except that it would not be official team policy to seek or receive payment for such activity.

Yesterday, GOAL director John O’Shea, praised the Cork manager John Allen for the gesture.

Since the recent controversy, when three players were paid for endorsing a product on their boots, Cork have operated a policy whereby all requests for player endorsements are channelled through a member of the management and ultimately through Allen.

In this instance, when it became known that 96&103FM was promoting the summer camp with the attendance of Cork players, the management ensured it was regularlised under their recently drawn up guidelines.

A fee was agreed and a number of players, including team captain Séan Óg Ó hAilpín, turned up at the summer camp in the Glen field.

From the outset it was made clear that the money would be donated to charity. On receipt of the cheque, John Allen arranged for it to be sent to GOAL, specifically for the charity’s appeal fund for the famine in Niger.

* Tickets for Sunday’s Bank of Ireland All-Ireland SFC semi-final between Cork and Kerry will again be on sale at Páirc Ui Rinn tonight between 6-8pm.