Friends of Tipperary Football launch brand new EuroMillions Syndicate

The Friends of Tipperary Football have done untold work for years to promote football in the county. Currently ‘The Friends’ are working their way around the county delivering two footballs to every primary school in the county to ensure the game can be played in the schoolyard or on the pitches as the weather improves. All bases are being covered to ensure the game is enjoyed by many, yet there are numerous ongoing costs related to promoting the game with expenses rising all the time.

Now a new fundraiser is launched which will hopefully provide some much needed funds. On Sunday last the group gathered by the Ryan Stand and launched their new Euro Millions Syndicate fundraiser in FBD Semple Stadium. Tipperary senior football captain Steven O’Brien, ‘The Friends’ President Eddie Ryan (from Littleton) and Chairperson Michael Devlin were all on hand to launch the important fundraiser. 

It involves supporters buying a ticket to join a new Euro Millions Plus Syndicate. This offers all members 1,500 chances to win big and potentially claim the jackpot. The link is here:  https://www.friendsoftipperaryfootball.com/product/euromillions-syndicate-ticket/ - at the launch star player Steven O’Brien stressed the importance of it to promote the game within the county and he also stressed the importance of the ‘Friends of Tipperary Football’ in terms of promoting the game:

“The Friends are the heartbeat of Tipperary football,” the senior football captain told those assembled. They have always been the driving force behind us. Everything we do is driven by ‘The Friends’ and without them we wouldn’t be getting places.”

Speaking about the ambition within the senior team currently, he said that despite a couple of close games going against them, they are striving for success: “The set up here this year has been top class. The wheels are in motion. It is a project and we are definitely going on the right track,” the Ballina native said.

The Chair of the Friends of Tipperary Football, Michael Devlin, was pleased to see such a fine turnout and said “we want the football teams going on the field to be as well prepared as possible. That is what the money is used for, that is where the money is spent,” he said adding that “the footballers have brought tremendous success to this county over the last twenty years.

“Winning an All-Ireland minor final, being in senior semi finals - that in itself is not by chance. It is by hard work. The foundations have been set and we don't want that to disappear. That is why the Friends are there, to get the money and try to drive these guys on,” Michael Devlin said.

The Chair of the Tipperary Football Board Fearghal McDonnell also spoke at the launch in Thurles saying that the Friends helped all levels of football in the county from juvenile right up to senior level. “To run the teams to a professional standard takes a significant amount of finance. We want to be competing with the top teams. To do that we need to raise our standards as well and have professionalism on how we prepare our teams so every fundraiser, every bit of money we get in is very important and it goes towards these players going forward,” Fearghal said.

It costs €20 to enter into this new fundraiser and all who enter at the ‘Friends’ website or via committee members across the county will receive a rare car sticker with the image of ‘Michael Hogan’ on it, as well as membership of the Friends for the coming season. Sign up now - at this link.

Tickets for the new fundraiser are €20 and can be purchased online or from committee members. Pictured at the launch of the new EuroMillions Syndicate fundraiser in FBD Semple Stadium last Sunday were as follows - Back Row (L to R): Manus McFadden, Mark Russell, Kevin Hanly, JJ Crowley (Treasurer), Conor Sweeney, Fearghal McDonnell (Chair of Tipperary Football Board), Steven O'Brien (Tipperary Senior Football Captain), Michael Devlin (Chair - Friends Of Tipperary Football), Karol Cunniffe.
Front Row (L to R): Helen Hawe, Eddie Ryan (Friends of Tipperary Football Lifetime President), Stephen Gleeson (Tipperary Football PRO). PHOTO BY EAMONN MCGEE