New International Rules sponsors announced

The Irish Daily Mail and TG4 will sponsor the 2010 International Rules Series and the Ireland panel respectively, it was announced today.

The move brings the GAA's 12-year sponsorship deal with Coca-Cola to an end.

GAA President Christy Cooney and Director General Paraic Duffy were on hand to launch TG4's joint deal as official Irish team sponsors, and main TV broadcast partners.

The Irish language TV station replaces Coca Cola as team sponsor, and RTÉ as official TV broadcast partners.

Cooney welcomed the announcement of the sponsorship deals, saying: "We look forward to working very closely with the Irish Daily Mail, and we thank you most sincerely for your interest in really supporting our games, and particularly supporting this International Rules Series.

"We have worked with TG4 for a number of years now, and they have given us tremendous support as an Association in exposing our games to a wider public.

"The National Leagues, our club Championships and all that goes with it. We are thrilled to have TG4 on board.

"They have been outstanding partners with us over a number of years, and we look forward to working with them and the Irish Daily Mail in a significant way over the coming months in preparation for our Series."

TG4 will broadcast both Test matches between Ireland and Australia live on Saturday, October 23, from Limerick's Gaelic Grounds; and on Saturday, October 30 from Croke Park. The first and second Tests will be played under floodlights.

RTÉ will screen highlights of both Tests, with RTÉ Radio providing live commentaries as official radio partners.

TG4 had previously been joint team sponsors and broadcast partners for the Irish International Rules Ladies football panel, in their corresponding Test Series against Australia.

This is the Irish Daily Mail's first leap into GAA sponsorship, taking over from Coca-Cola as overall International Rules Series title sponsors.

Cooney says that the challenge now exists for Irish manager Anthony Tohill and his selectors Kevin O'Brien (Wicklow), Eoin Liston (Kerry) and Sean Og De Paor (Galway) to pick a squad capable of beating Australia.

"Our Championship season has just begun in a significant way. Looking at that today and just thinking about how it is whetting the appetite for the International Rules Series - certainly, in a special way, it makes us look forward to what should be a wonderful event.

"They have started the work already by going around to the Championship games. Looking at the players that we need going forward to take on the Australians, and I have no doubt the Series will be played with tremendous commitment and tremendous passion from both countries.

"We certainly look forward to welcoming the Australian squad and their delegation to Ireland in October," he added.

"We are sure it will be an outstanding success, and that our Irish public will come in their droves. We will be expecting full houses in Limerick and here at Croke Park.

"It should be two wonderful international occasions, but, in a special way, a wonderful occasion for our Association.

"We believe in the Series - we believe it has worked well for us - and we believe the introduction of some rules over the past couple of years has enhanced the game."