AIB, proud sponsors of club and county, today began the countdown to the 2022 GAA All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final, which will see Galway and Kerry take centre stage in Croke Park this Sunday July 24th in their bid to win Sam Maguire in a repeat pairing of the 2000 showpiece.
AIB, as sponsors of the GAA since 1991, have this season sought to pay homage to the players of our national games, celebrating their remarkable commitment and dedication displayed week after week, season after season, year after year. While Sunday’s decider will no doubt be an exhilarating display of athleticism and skill, each and every player who takes part in this year’s GAA All-Ireland Senior Football Championship and Tailteann Cup deserves recognition for their dedication to the craft of Gaelic Football. These are the players who won’t quit, but persevere no matter how tough it gets because it’s who they are. For them, it’s about never giving up and never giving in, because Tough Can’t Quit.
Galway will be playing in their first All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final since 2001, when the current manager, Padraic Joyce, led his team to victory over Meath on a scoreline of 0-17 to 0-08. It is also a repeat pairing as the 2000 final, which saw Kerry see off Galway by four points after a replay, so the men from the West will be hoping to gain a measure of revenge on the Kingdom this weekend.
Crowned Connacht Champions in May following an impressive win over Roscommon, Galway have delivered shock after shock throughout this campaign. It took 90 minutes of breath-taking football and a penalty shootout to separate Galway from Armagh in what was a quarter-final for the Ages, before the Tribesmen displayed their perseverance by overcoming Ulster champions Derry to secure their place in Croke Park this Sunday.
Kerry booked their spot in Croke Park, beating their heavyweights and historic rivals Dublin with an unforgettable long-range free from Sean O’Shea. The Kingdom retained their Munster Championship title with a convincing win over Cork in Páirc Uí Rinn, before the green and gold delivered a clinical display in the final against Limerick. In the quarter-final, Kerry faced a sterner test against Mayo, ultimately overcoming the 2021 finalists on a scoreline of 1-18 to 0-13. Winners of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship a record 37 times, Kerry will be hoping to bring the Sam Maguire cup back to Munster for the first time since 2014.
AIB Chief Executive Colin Hunt said “AIB is extremely proud to sponsor the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final for the eighth time, with the 2022 Championship delivering another season of inspired action. Our sponsorship programme this season has celebrated #TheToughest players in Gaelic Games, with both The Drive and Tailteann Cup: Mic’d Up series highlighting the extraordinary lengths to which players go for their clubs and counties. We are all really looking forward to what promises to be a thrilling game between Kerry and Galway. Two footballing powerhouses, the Tribesmen and the Kingdom always bring an intense atmosphere to match-day with their passion and powerful support. We wish both teams the very best of luck.”
Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael, Larry McCarthy expressed: “After an exciting season, made special by the return of the wonderful fans to stadiums throughout the country, we are delighted to be looking ahead to another GAA All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final. A fixture guaranteed to deliver thrilling action, and one that will be a showcase of the exceptional abilities of players from both counties. This is a match that will excite fans not just in Kerry and Galway but around the world. I would like to take this opportunity to thank AIB for their long-standing support of Gaelic Games. They continue to capture the imagination with best-in-class content and activation that elevates our national games and the players who play them. Finally, I wish the players and fans of both Kerry and Galway the best of luck this coming weekend. It is days like this Sunday that show what Gaelic Games mean to the people of this country and the global GAA. We cannot wait for the action to begin – may the best team win.”
Tomorrow, AIB will release the final episode of The Drive series, hosted by comedian Ardal O’Hanlon and this time featuring Kerry footballer Stefan Okunbor. The talented youngster, whose father and mother hail from Nigeria and Moldova receptively, talks through his journey in Gaelic Games so far. After spending time Down Under in the AFL, Okunbor is back in the Kerry squad and will hope to add another chapter to his story this Sunday as he readies himself for his first ever All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final.
For updates on the match, exclusive content and behind the scenes action from the GAA All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, follow AIB GAA on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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