Counties bidding for shirts sponsors
Sligo, Roscommon, Down and Fermanagh are currently without backers, Fermanagh having worn “blank” jerseys in last weekend’s McKenna Cup while the other three donned their 2011 jerseys in their pre-season games.
Five counties had started the year in uncertainty but Louth last week signed a 12-month extension to their previous agreement with McCabes Builders while Westmeath set to confirm Annebrook House Hotel as successors to the Hilamar Hotel.
After 20 years’ association, Clifford Electrical brought their relationship with Sligo to an end last year and secretary Pádraig Duffy sounded a worrying tone about the search for a replacement.
“We don’t have one yet. We’re actively seeking one but there’s nothing definite. We appointed a sub-committee to deal with the matter but they have yet to report back with any good news.
“Obviously, things are very difficult out there commercially.”
Roscommon wore jerseys with the logo of their former backers, Sierra, for their FBD Connacht League opener last weekend and will do so again for their fixtures with Leitrim and Mayo.
Secretary Brian Stenson confirmed there has been interest in filling the void, and added: “There’s no update as of yet. We’re wearing the old jersey at present. Obviously, when the league starts, things will have to change.”
Down played out their McKenna Cup game against Armagh sporting jerseys with their former long-standing sponsor, Canal Court Hotel.
Like Sligo and Roscommon, they will continue to do so for the remainder of this month but the county board are confident of attracting a suitor.
“We’re out in the market at the moment and there have been some tentative inquiries made,” revealed Down secretary Seán Óg McAteer. “We like to think we have an excellent brand and we’re hoping that will be recognised.”
Fermanagh’s stock has risen since Peter Canavan came on board and they will be hoping to maximise his presence in their tendering process.
Chairman Patsy Dolan stated: “Tracey Concrete’s previous term of sponsorship expired at the end of December.
“The sponsorship is currently out for tender and whenever that is brought to a closure, we will have an idea. It could very well be Tracey Concrete again.”
Like Fermanagh, London wore jerseys with no sponsors for their couple of FBD Connacht League games last week but the Bewleys Hotels brand will again feature on their chests.
“The agreement was only done in mid-December and we couldn’t get the jerseys organised in time with O’Neills so they wore blank ones,” explained London secretary John K Molloy.
All four counties without sponsors will be hoping they don’t find themselves in the same situation as the Galway footballers last year.
The football board teamed up with Cancer Care West after failing to find a commercial sponsor following the departure of Aer Arann.
As joint partners, the board has fundraised money for themselves and will be carrying the charity’s logo on the footballers’ jerseys again this year.
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