Coolmore's link up with Tipperary GAA a winner alright for Premier County

O’Shea, the brother of former Tipperary manager and coach Eamon, warned not to do so “will see us well behind our competitors, both on and off the field. There is no time to waste. The way to honour our current and former heroes is to ensure that we develop future heroes through smart and judicious investment now.” He estimated €2 million was “a very realistic figure to be generated” by a brand evaluation of Tipperary GAA. It, he claimed, had been “undervalued and under promoted”.

O’Shea wrote: “The perfect example of this is our jersey sponsorship, currently at the end of its three-year deal, which has been consistently under-valued given the heritage of the jersey, its international appeal, and the success of the flagship team in the past decade. There are opportunities to sell multiple sponsorship deals in relation to the jersey and the blue and gold banner.

He added: “Morris Park is another major asset that can be even further utilised to enhance the Tipperary brand.” Some of O’Shea’s recommendations were embraced but he wasn’t be the first man to be frustrated by his expertise going largely unheeded by a county board. In 2012, Liam Horan delivered an ambitious strategic plan for Mayo that aimed to harness the county’s sizeable diaspora only for the county board to reject it. Horan’s vision was deemed too grand.

News last Friday that Tipperary GAA have inked a three-year sponsorship deal with the world-renowned Coolmore Stud is exactly the kind of blue-sky thinking O’Shea was writing about in 2021. Putting their name alongside the county board’s brings clout.

The Fethard-based thoroughbred horse breeding operation has the naming rights to the centre of excellence Dr Morris Park that sadly lost its trusted custodian Pat O’Callaghan this past week. The famous Coolmore logo is also emblazoned across the county’s new mobile app.

The tie-up appears a match made in heaven. “Partnering with such an esteemed and winning brand marks a significant step forward for Tipperary GAA,” Tipperary GAA chief executive Murtagh Brennan is quoted as saying in the press release.

While Tipperary GAA are well served by sponsors such as Fiserv and FBD, it needs more money having been one of the few counties to report a deficit (€78,203) last year. The demands of upkeeping Semple Stadium are well-known. Earlier this year, clubs were each asked for €1,000 towards a new artificial pitch in TUS Thurles. So far, 29 have contributed.

In his report last year, Brennan spoke of the “significant strain” caused by “ever-rising (inter-county team) costs”. Senior manager Liam Cahill has had to source a considerable amount of money for preparing his team. It was recently revealed €200,000 was spent over 12 months on under-age teams up to U16.

Prior to the county’s involvement in this year minor and U20 All-Ireland hurling finals, training fundraisers had to be organised. Last weekend, a “Win A House” in Cashel draw was launched by county legend Nicky English.

The county board had courted Coolmore before but on this occasion the timing was right, the parties becoming more acquainted with each other in the former’s use of Fethard Town Park, the €7 million all-sports facility, €3m of which was funded by John Magner’s company.

Coolmore’s support of local GAA is long established. Several of their 1,000-plus staff are either playing or involved with clubs. The likes of Jack Bergin, Declan Fanning and Lorcan Egan have all worked in the stud or their famed racing arm in Ballydoyle.

“We sponsor several GAA clubs across the county going back a number of years, none more notable than our own hometown of Fethard,” says Coolmore’s Maurice Moloney, a director of Fethard Town Park.

“This is our first venture with the county board and we’re looking forward to a fruitful relationship over the next three years. Coolmore and the Magnier family have always been hugely supportive of under-age sport. This sponsorship builds on Coolmore’s considerable local investment in community and sporting facilities, including in Fethard Town Park, a multi-use, state-of-the art public-private funded facility.

“The Magniers are delighted with the level of activity and participation going on in Fethard Town Park – all age groups, all sports, walkers, the Wheelchair Association and the Men’s Sheds.

“The Magnier family live in the community so ensuring sustainable communities was a key vision for the town park. We linked in with Tipp GAA and Munster Rugby and numerous other stakeholders to bring this to fruition and it’s been a great success.” 

Moloney regards Coolmore Morris Park as a natural extension of Magnier and Coolmore’s commitment to developing talent. “We see Coolmore Morris Park as a natural progression in our involvement in Tipperary GAA, helping the development of under-age players in the county reach their potential. We all want to help Tipperary to compete at the highest level. We’re committed to the naming rights and Coolmore also sponsor the Tipp GAA app.

“This is a synergy between two of the counties’ strongest brands, Tipperary the home of hurling and Coolmore the home of champions. It's a very good fit. We’re there for three years and we’d like to think our relationship will grow.” As a close friend and business partner of JP McManus, it might be tempting to think Magnier is looking to transform Tipperary GAA as the McManus family have done with Limerick but the thought is presumptuous.

Like the Kerry Group with Kerry and Supermacs in Galway, Coolmore simply want to support their own.