New sponsorship of Camogie Association and championships announced

Carmel Naughton and Glen Dimplex have announced their joint sponsorship of the Camogie Association and championships for the five-year period 2022-2027.

Carmel, who has taken immense satisfaction from seeing how the game has progressed since playing camogie in Monaghan as a young girl, has chosen to support the sport in a philanthropic capacity, with branding rights associated with the sponsorship resting with joint sponsor Glen Dimplex.

She said: “I have very fond memories of my years playing camogie. To me camogie is ultimately about community, teamwork and how the energy, drive and passion of a group of people can deliver such dividends that benefit both local and wider society.”

Glen Dimplex is an Irish-headquartered international manufacturing group which specialises in innovative low-carbon electric heating and ventilation solutions and is owned by the Naughton family.

The new five-year deal is a huge boost for the sport and was warmly welcomed by the Camogie Association and camogie county boards representing almost 600 clubs nationwide. The new title sponsorship and the launch of the 2022 championships were announced at Croke Park in Dublin by Rowena McCappin, head of external relations and engagement, Glen Dimplex, Camogie Association president Hilda Breslin and Camogie Association ard stiúrthóir, Sinéad McNulty.

It was also announced that the senior championship semi-finals will be held in Croke Park this July.

Ms. McCappin said the company were delighted to be involved with the sponsorship of such a key sport in Ireland and highlighted the connection between Glen Dimplex and the Camogie Association.

She stated: “I see a synergy between Glen Dimplex’s business and the Camogie Association, given the energy that is exuded on the camogie pitch and the sport’s role in inspiring and sustaining local communities. We’re all, as a society, on a journey of sustainability for climate and community.”

The Camogie Association president acknowledged the generous contributions of Carmel Naughton and Glen Dimplex, and the commitment shown through signing a five-year deal.

Ms. Breslin also welcomed the significance of having an Irish-owned, internationally recognised brand associated with the organisation and its competitions, saying: “We would like to thank Carmel Naughton and Glen Dimplex for their support. We are thrilled to be working alongside an international Irish brand such as Glen Dimplex. This new sponsorship enables us to progress so many important initiatives and allows us to plan for the future. We look forward to working together to grow this wonderful women’s sport.”

Championships

The 2022 Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Camogie Championships will commence from the weekend of May 21/22 and will culminate in a triple-header All Ireland final day at Croke Park on Sunday, August 7.

The draws have been completed for the senior, intermediate and premier junior competitions, with groupings and competition structures set out below.

The senior championship comprises 12 teams in two groups of six, with the top team in each group going straight into the semi-finals and the second and third teams in each group going into quarterfinals. The bottom teams in both groups will be involved in a relegation playoff.

Group 1 features Cork, Tipperary, Waterford, Wexford, Dublin and Clare. Group 2 has Galway, Kilkenny, Down, Antrim, Limerick and Offaly.

The intermediate championship similarly comprises 12 teams in two groups of six, with the same permutations too. Group 1 includes Westmeath, Galway, Carlow, Laois, Dublin and Kerry. Group 2 features Kilkenny, Meath, Derry, Cork, Kildare and Wexford.

Finally, the premier junior championship – which this year features Mayo – has 11 teams in one group of six and one group of five. The top team in each group will go straight into the semi-finals, while the second and third teams in each group will contest the quarterfinals.

Mayo are in Group 2 along with Tipperary, Clare, Cavan and Waterford. Group 1 contains Armagh, Roscommon, Antrim, Limerick and Down.

Tickets for all games will be sold online in advance. Information about all fixtures, including times, date, venues, and links to ticket sales will be available at www.camogie.ie.