Tipp shirt sponsor deal in limbo

TIPPERARY secretary Tim Floyd has conceded the county senior footballers could open their Allianz League Division Three campaign this weekend without a jersey sponsor.

The Premier County official confirmed sponsorship talks have reached “a stalemate” and he hasn’t ruled out the possibility of the All-Ireland champion hurlers lining out with no shirt backer against Kilkenny in Thurles on Saturday week.

Asked about John Evans’ footballers wearing non-commercial jerseys against Limerick this weekend, Floyd said: “There is a possibility.

“There’s a stalemate at the moment. It’s likely to be a few weeks.”

The Tipperary County Board have been in renegotiation talks with existing sponsors Enfer Scientific in recent weeks.

However, speculation is mounting their agreement with the animal health biotechnology company has come to an end.

Earlier this month, Floyd refused to discount the suggestion a car manufacturer, possibly Skoda, could come on board as a jersey backer.

Tipperary have been wearing jerseys without the Enfer logo in recent weeks.

In their Waterford Crystal SHC game againstWaterford IT, they wore shirts with “Tiobraid Árann” emblazoned across their chests.

In the senior footballers’ McGrath Cup against the University of Limerick, they wore the Kilsheelan/Kilcash club’s blue and gold jerseys.

Meanwhile, Evans has appointed Barry Grogan as the Tipperary senior football captain for the 2011 season.

The Aherlow man takes over from Cahir’s Robbie Costigan who has emigrated to Australia.