AIB launched it GAA and Camogie Club Championships in Dublin yesterday bringing together Muireann Kelleher (St Vincent’s, Dublin), Pauric Mahony (Ballygunner, Waterford), Clodagh McGrath (Sarsfields, Galway) and James Morgan (Crossmaglen Rangers, Armagh, pictured above) to talk about their hopes for the series.
This year sees AIB celebrating 33 years of backing the GAA Club Championships and its 11th year as sponsor of the Camogie Club Championships.
With the season well underway and county champions being crowned across the country, focus is shifting to the provincial championships. Over the coming weeks and months, clubs will battle it out to claim their provincial crowns in #TheToughest championships of them all.
The Club game has come to the fore with the shifting on Inter County games to be finished by July and the TV coverage to come with it has seen the games broadcast and viewed by more fans than ever before.
RTÉ and TG4 have had regular weekend coverage of the games and each of the individual counties has also been to the fore with their own streamed coverage of the matches that matter most to the greatest number of players playing the games.
Muireann Kelleher and St. Vincent’s – who won back-to-back Dublin Senior Camogie Championship titles – are back in an AIB Leinster Senior Camogie Club Championship quarter-final next month. Overcoming St. Jude’s in a thriller at Parnell Park in the county decider, they will be hoping to go one step further in the All-Ireland series this season.
In hurling meanwhile, Pauric Mahony and his Ballygunner teammates claimed a record 10th consecutive Waterford Senior Hurling Championship title this year. The reigning Munster champions will now begin the defence of their provincial crown.
Crossmaglen Rangers meanwhile secured the Armagh Senior Football Championship title over the weekend, as they came from four points down at one stage to win out 2-16 to 1-7 over Clan na Gael on Sunday. The Armagh outfit will be hoping to relive old glories in Ulster when they face the Tyrone winners in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, Clodagh McGrath and her Sarsfields teammates in Galway defended their county crown in style at the weekend, running out 2-13 to 0-7 winners over Oranmore Maree to put them firmly back on the road to begin the defence of their AIB Camogie All-Ireland Club Championship title.
“Gaelic Games are an intrinsic part of communities throughout Ireland and at AIB, we are proud of our partnership with the GAA and Camogie Association,” said AIB CEO Colin Hunt.
“2023 is our 33rd year sponsoring the GAA All-Ireland Club Championships and our 11th year sponsoring the Camogie All-Ireland Club Championships.”
“We at AIB are delighted to celebrate the players, management, volunteers and supporters that make the Club Championships so special. Their commitment to their clubs is a shining example to all that through dedication and perseverance great things can be achieved.”
“We are looking forward to another action-packed AIB GAA All-Ireland Club Championships,” added GAA President Larry McCarthy.
“Clubs are at the heart of our association and communities, and achieving success with your club creates lifelong memories. From players to supporters, officials to volunteers, we know that the Club Championships, at all levels, are truly special, and we are delighted to have AIB’s continued support.”
“We are working hand-in-hand with AIB to showcase the Camogie club players, and highlighting how special the AIB Camogie Club Championships are,” said Camogie Association President Hilda Breslin.
“We encourage you to show your support for the clubs, with colour and passion at every game as we head towards the finals in December in Croke Park. We wish all the clubs participating the very best for the remainder of the season as they strive for All-Ireland glory.”
The photography that accompanies #TheToughest campaign is simple yet always really effective with Ramsey Cardy of Sportsfile using purple paint dust to create the effect above in a shoot that took place at the Ely Place offices of WHPR.
