Menolly Group back Meath footballers

WITH the statute of Sean Boylan standing at the main entrance, the Dunboyne Castle Hotel & amp; Spa seemed an appropriate venue for the official announcement that the Menolly Group would be sponsoring Meath football for the next three years. It is believed that the deal is worth €250,000 annually making it one of the most generous sponsorship arrangements anywhere in the country. This is a renewal of the sponsorship deal first sealed in 2006 and it covers the county minor, junior, u-21 and senior teams and was originally set up when Brendan Dempsey was Co Committee chairman. As part of the arrangement, the Menolly Group logo is featured on county jerseys. Details of the deal were leaked to the local press a few weeks ago, but the official launch did not take place until Wednesday evening of last week. The launch was attended by a number of Meath players which included Mark Ward, Caoimhin King and Kevin Reilly. Also in attendance were Co Committee officials Barney Allen, Cyril Creavin, Cathal Seoighe, Dempsey and Pat Clerkin. There was a touch of glamour added to the occasion by Miss Ireland, Sinead Noonan, who hails from Dunboyne. She won the Miss Ireland title during the summer and she is now looking forward to a forthcoming appearance in the Miss World contest in South Africa. Also in attendance was Menolly Group chief Seamus Ross, the Longford man who has become a generous benefactor to Meath football. The feeling is that in the current economic climate the acquisition of a sponsorship deal like this is a considerable coup for the Co Committee. The Menolly Group is one of the country"s leading property development companies. They are also the 'owner-operators' of the Dunboyne Castle Hotel and Spa. 'Today"s announcement is a testament to Menolly"s long-term commitment to both the county and to Meath GAA,' said Donegal man Shane Cookman of the Menolly Group. 'The past three years has seen our involvement in the county grow most visibly in the success of Dunboyne Castle Hotel & amp; Spa. 'We look forward to welcoming the Meath team to the hotel as All-Ireland champions in the very near future,' he suggested. Co Committee chairman Allen said that the renewal of the Menolly sponsorship was 'a huge vote of confidence for everyone involved in Meath GAA.' He hoped that Meath would bring the Sam Maguire cup back to the hotel at least once in the next three years. 'I want to thank the Menolly Group and Seamus Ross for their support, they have been generous sponsors to us over the last three years,' he said. ' I know we didn"t get to where we wanted to be at senior level this year, but the minors were not too far off the mark. I hope we"ll have cause to bring the Sam Maguire back in the next three years. 'That"s our goal, that"s the focus,' concluded the Rathkenny clubman who is in his first year at the helm.