Dublin to face Galway in renewal of 2015 edition while the 2016 All-Ireland champions Tipperary take on 2016 league champions Clare
Dublin will take on Galway while Tipperary will face Clare as the AIG Fenway Hurling Classic and Irish Festival returns to Fenway Park on November 19. The announcement was made by Fenway Sports Management (FSM), American International Group (AIG), the Gaelic Players Association (GPA), the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) and the City of Boston today at a special ceremony at the iconic stadium*. It’s the second time in three years that hurling, in the “Super 11’s” format, will be played at the venue. Tickets for the AIG Fenway Hurling Classic and Irish Festival go on sale on Thursday, June 29 at 7am Irish time at www.redsox.com/hurling.
This year’s doubleheader expands upon the memorable one-game hurling exhibition on November 22, 2015, when Galway came from behind in an intense, hard-fought battle to register a 50-47 triumph over Dublin in the inaugural AIG Fenway Hurling Classic, which marked the first time hurling was played at the historic home of the Boston Red Sox since 1954. This November, Dublin and Galway will hold a rematch of their 2015 battle followed by a clash of the champions when Tipperary take the pitch to play Clare.
“Nearly 28,000 fans packed Fenway Park and experienced firsthand the excitement of when hurling returned to the ballpark for the first time in 61 years in 2015 so we’re really looking forward to bringing the fastest game on grass back for two matches this November,” said Mark Lev, Managing Director of Fenway Sports Management. “We are fortunate to have great partners in AIG, the GPA, the GAA and the City of Boston to help bring this exhilarating sport back to Fenway and proud to play host to one of Ireland’s most traditional sports and further our commitment to bringing unique events and experiences to Boston.”
Title sponsor AIG has been an official sponsor to the Dublin GAA since November 2013 and has been committed to raising the profile of hurling and other Gaelic Games to a broader global audience.
“AIG in Ireland is delighted to be bringing hurling back to the United States in 2017 after a successful 2015 event,” said Declan O’Rourke, General Manager of AIG Ireland. “Hurling is a unique and wonderful part of our culture, played with great passion and skill for thousands of years. It gives us great pride to share our exciting games at the highest level with the people of Boston again in November. ”
Similar to 2015, teams will play a modified version of hurling called “Super 11’s” which reduces the pitch to 11 players and the only way to score is under the crossbar into the net. A goal inside the designated scoring zone is worth three points, while scoring from outside the zone is worth five points.
“After an immensely successful event in 2015, we are delighted that hurling is coming back to Boston and Fenway Park” said GPA Chief Executive Officer Dermot Earley. “Playing our games in iconic sports venues like Fenway Park further promotes the growth and interest of our games in the United States and worldwide. Our players are looking forward to a great doubleheader on the pitch at Fenway this November.”
In addition to the Hurling Classic, AIG and FSM have teamed up to offer attendees a lively Irish festival complete with Irish food, music and dancing. Additional details about the Irish Festival will be continuously posted at the event website. Furthermore, Aer Lingus has signed on as the Official Airline of the AIG Fenway Hurling Classic and Irish Festival and will transport the four teams from Ireland to Boston as well as presenting the stream of the doubleheader in November. For more details on the AIG Fenway Hurling Classic and Irish Festival and ticket information, please visit www.redsox.com/hurling.
