Yesterday the GAA, along with sponsors Allianz launched the 2017 National Football league to the national media. In attendance were Uachtaráin Cumann Lúthchleas Aogán Ó Fearghail, CEO of Allianz Ireland Sean McGrath, Kerry’s Donnchadh Walsh and Dublin’s Jonny Cooper.
This year Allianz are celebrating 25 years of sponsorship with the GAA and have been an loyal sponsors of the National Leagues, in both Football and Hurling.
Dublin will be aiming for their fifth League title in a row. They have 12 League honours, 7 behind Kerry on 19. But the Kingdom have not won a league title since 2009 and last year was their first final appearance since then.
“We take the Allianz League very seriously” Donnchadh Walsh told GAA.ie, “We’re aiming to be back in the final again. The format is such that it’s only the top two teams make the final this year so it means losing one game even might be too much to get to the final.”
“We put a lot of effort into it and we start very early on in January each year” Jonny Cooper commented.
“We always try and uphold our standards in the squad and that brings success which it has the last couple of years. It probably does bring an extra bit of pressure from people I suppose trying to beat us on a given day so it’s a pressure that we welcome and it’s those standards that we try and uphold each and every week.
Dublin commence their League Division 1 campaign with a trip to Kingspan Breffni Park for a tie against newly promoted Cavan on February 5th, while Kerry make the long trip to O’Donnell Park in Letterkenny to face Donegal in their first round encounter.
(video credit: GAA via YouTube)