Intersport Elverys Reveal the new Mayo GAA Home Jersey for the 2022/23 season

Posted on September 30, 2022 at 11:23 am.

Mayo GAA Kit Launch 2022/23 – Press Release | Friday 30th September 9am.

INTERSPORT Elverys together with the Mayo GAA county boards and O’Neills officially unveiled the new home kit today at the home of Mayo GAA – Hastings Insurance MacHale Park. The new kit will be worn by Mayo GAA, Mayo LGFA, and Mayo Camogie teams from underage to senior level and for the first time each code is featured together in the launch campaign.

Intersport Elverys aims to help connect more people with sport. In GAA, our county teams represent pride and passion. It’s the dedication and commitment of players and supporters that is always inspiring others to grow our national games.

The new-look jersey returns to the bottle green that served Mayo football well between 2012 and 2018, while adding a silicone badge and three stripes to modernise the strip. It features a stripped-back, clean design that honours the traditional colours of green and red, while continuing to be one of the most recognisable jerseys for Irish people around the globe.

The jersey also includes the Portwest sponsor logo on the men’s and ladies football jerseys.

The home jersey is available to purchase from today at Intersport Elverys stores nationwide or online at Elverys.ie The jersey is also available for purchase at www.oneills.com. The LGFA, Camogie and Goalkeeper kits will be available for pre-order from today.

Seamus Touhy, Mayo GAA Chairman, said, “We are grateful for the ongoing support of our title sponsor Intersport Elverys and look forward to the release of our new jersey which also features our commercial partners Portwest. Our partnership with Intersport Elverys has developed over many years and look forward to working with Intersport Elverys in the years to come. Their support has been a key pillar in highly competitive performances of our Mayo teams. Mayo’s loyal supporters have been instrumental over the years and Mayo GAA are sincerely indebted for this support as we look forward to the season ahead”

Philip Staunton, Head Teamsports Buyer Intersport Elverys, commented, “Intersport Elverys is delighted to be entering our 26th season supporting Mayo GAA. The journeys and adventures we’ve had with players and supporters since 1998 has been the greatest pleasure and we look forward to the latest chapter of our partnership. We take great pride being based in the beating heart of Mayo with our expanding Head Office in Castlebar and four stores county-wide that intertwine us with the local community and understand what Gaelic Games mean in Mayo. The responsibility of being the chosen destination for young footballers, hurlers, and camogie players to try on the Mayo shirt they aspire to wear at senior level is an honour for Intersport Elverys. We wish all teams well this coming season.”

Mayo LGFA Chairperson Declan Kennedy, has said, “Once again Mayo LGFA are delighted to come together with Mayo GAA and Mayo Camoige to launch this jersey together with our title sponsor Intersport Elverys who have supported us over the past number of years. We are also boosted by the fact that Portwest are continuing their support of Mayo LGFA and will be featured on this new jersey. It is positive to have successful Mayo businesses backing Mayo LGFA both on and off the field while also working tirelessly to unite our supporters who are the foundation of our organisation. We’re thankful to all our supporters, including our generous sponsors, who are as passionate about the sport as we are. Here’s to 2023 in the Green and Red!”

Rosemary Smith, Mayo Camogie Chairperson, said “We are excited to enter 2023 our third year playing at adult level. We are extremely grateful for all the ongoing support from Mayo GAA along with Intersport Elverys and Portwest – both proud Mayo and global businesses. Camogie is a growing sport in Mayo, we have had great success this year and look forward to continuing to grow our sport and represent the red and green of Mayo with pride.”

From Portwest Rachel Davoren, Managing Director of Portwest Ireland, commented, ‘We are delighted to see the launch of the second iteration of the Mayo jersey with Portwest across the back. The partnership has been really positively received by our customers and colleagues alike and we look forward to continuing to work with Mayo GAA and Intersport Elverys on this. It has led to some great initiatives, such as our current Play for a Day Campaign which allows primary school children to be in with a chance to win a training session with Mayo GAA senior players. Community projects such as this one are why we got involved in the first place, as the GAA brings so much to the community within Mayo and Portwest are proud to help develop this alongside them.’

Enda Doherty, Marketing Manager from O’Neills, has said, “We’re proud to produce the Mayo jersey for the 2023 season. There is always a great demand for the Mayo jersey, and everyone is aware of the huge passion for Gaelic Games in the county and the Mayo diaspora across the world. We’re proud to produce a jersey that is eye-catching, which we know will be worn with pride by players and supporters alike, in an exciting time for the county.”

Photo caption:

30 September 2022; Tommy Conroy, Kathryn Sullivan, Keith Higgins, Padraig O’Hora pictured at McHale Park at the reveal of the new Mayo GAA 22/23 home kit. The jersey is available to purchase from Friday, September 30th from the official retail partner of Mayo GAA, Intersport Elverys. Purchase online at www.elverys.ie and in selected stores nationwide. The jersey is also available for purchase at www.oneills.com.

The Mayo GAA home jersey is now available at Intersport Elverys with the Mayo LGFA, Camogie & Goalkeeper jersey now available for Pre-Order.

Best GAA Players of All time: Ultimate Football XV 2000-2020

Posted on June 27, 2022 at 3:50 pm.

Written by Ger Flanagan

Over the past 20 years we’ve been graced with some of the best GAA players of all time lining out for their counties.

We’ve seen Dublin become the greatest team ever, Mayo’s continual All-Ireland heartbreak, the great Tyrone/Armagh rivalry of the Noughties, some Kerry magic and much more.

We love our GAA at Intersport Elverys, so we’ve tasked ourselves with the unenviable task of picking the best GAA players of all time for our ultimate football XV.

It wasn’t easy and we had to make some difficult decisions for who gets the start.

We know we’ve left some lads disappointed at being omitted, but that’s what GAA management is all about right?

Making those hard decisions!

Before we start, you might like to check out our Ultimate Guide to Gaelic Football Positions Blog?

Best GAA Players of all Time

1. Goalkeeper: Stephen Cluxton (Dublin GAA)

Without doubt, one of the easiest decisions we had to make.

Cluxton will go down as the greatest GAA goalkeeper of all time, finishing up last year with eight All-Ireland medias to his name, captain for seven of those.

He was the great revolutionary of the goalkeeping position, transforming the requirements and expectations on modern-day goalkeepers to a more quarter-back role.

His kickouts and quick restarts, as well as his dead-ball accuracy, made his one of the most important cogs in the Dublin juggernaut.

Full Back line

2. Right Corner back: Keith Higgins (Mayo GAA)

The former Young Footballer of the Year retired with four All Stars but without that All-Ireland medal he came so close to achieving.

However, the Ballyhaunis GAA man was consistently excellent across two decades and on the biggest stage of them all.

Versatile enough to play anywhere on the pitch if required, Higgins really made his name as a man-marking corner back who could punish teams on the front foot with his electric pace.

3. Full Back: Seamus Moynihan (Kerry GAA)

The Kerry star was a colossus defender, finishing his career with four Celtic Crosses and three All Stars, being considered as one of the greats.

Comfortable at centre back or full back, Moynihan was a complete package – renowned for his marking, football ability, strength, and pace.

Although he retired from inter-county football in 2006 and played much of his football during the 1990s, Moynihan could not be omitted from the team.

4. Left Corner Back: Marc Ó Sé (Kerry GAA)

The youngest of the Ó Sé brothers had some competition here, with Mick Fitzsimons, Philly McMahon and Johnny Cooper all unlucky not to be picked.

But as a former Footballer of the Year and for his out-and-out defensive qualities, the Kerry man gets the nod.

Often underappreciated compared to his brothers, Tomás and Darragh, Marc was consistency personified during the past two decades.

He won his last All-Ireland with Kerry in 2014 before calling it a day two years later.

There never anything too swashbuckling about him, but he did all the basics at the highest of quality and that is crucial.

Half Back line

5. Left Wing Back: Lee Keegan (Mayo GAA)

Mayo’s greatest player of all time, Lee Keegan is also the highest scoring defender of all time with 6-40 in championship football.

The Westport GAA man made his name as an explosive and attack-minded wing back, before adapting to a man marking corner back later in his career.

In Mayo’s biggest days, Keegan has been able to negate the opposition’s best player while also hurting them at the other end.

Footballer of the Year in 2016, there ill never be another Lee Keegan.

Keegan’s former Mayo teammate Eoghan McLaughlin shares his expertise on How to Play Wing Back in the blog.

6. James McCarthy (Dublin GAA)

A Rolls Royce football, McCarthy was a pivotal figure in Dublin’s six-in-a-row winning team.

Comfortable in midfield and in the half forward line, McCarthy’s best position is in the half back line where his physicality, presence, calmness on the ball and explosiveness make him a huge threat.

A four-time All Star, the Ballymun star is widely and rightly considered as one of the best footballers the game has ever seen.

Karl Lacey of Donegal GAA can feel hard done by, but the competition in the half back line was simply immense.

7. Jack McCaffrey (Dublin GAA)

Watching Jack McCaffrey in full flight is something special and his goal against Kerry in the 2019 All-Ireland Final was him at his best.

Making his championship debut in 2013, McCaffrey won the Footballer of the Year award in 2015 and received a second nomination in 2018.

His electrifying pace destroyed so many teams throughout his years, while his attacking threat and defensive skills improved year-on-year.

One of the greatest wing backs ever.

Midfield

8. Midfield: Brian Fenton (Dublin GAA)

Fenton is midfield and Gaelic football royalty – arguably the greatest midfielder of all time, and we don’t say that lightly.

Genius when in possession and a trojan workrate when in not, Fenton was an inspirational figure for Dublin during their famous campaign playing in every minute of the six-in-a-row.

Amazingly, the Raheny GAA man didn’t lose his first game in a Dublin jersey until 2021 and to date has five All Stars to his name.

A Footballer of the Year award is coming down the road.

9. Midfield: Darragh Ó Sé (Kerry GAA)

No midfield could be complete without this towering Kerryman.

The second of the Ó Sé brothers to make this team, Darragh was the engine room and midfield dynamo of the great Kerry team during the noughties.

Powerful on the ground and dominant in the air, Ó Sé was also an excellent kickpasser and much of his great play involved supplying quality ball to a dangerous attack.

He retired in 2010 with four All Stars and six All-Ireland titles.

Mayo GAA’s and All Star midfielder Mattie Ruane shares his insight and advice on how to play the postion in this blog.

Half Forward Line

10. Right Half Forward: Diarmuid Connolly (Dublin GAA)

Much maligned at times during his career for various incidents not involving a football, there is no doubting the class of Diarmuid Connolly.

On his day there was few, if any, who could match the sheer level of skill and the effortlessness of how he executed those skills than Connolly.

Many say his return of only two All Stars is an indication of how he was perceived by the public and media due to his discipline issues.

However, you can’t deny his ability.

11. Centre Forward: Ciaran Killkenny (Dublin GAA)

A star touted from an early age, Kilkenny went on to surpass even those expectations.

Tempted to a career in the AFL during his late teens, the Castleknock GAA man opted to throw his hand in with his native county and how that worked out for all parties!

He has been a mainstay in the all-dominant Dubs’ team for his industry in the half forward line and his scoring ability.

Named Player of the Year in 2021, Kilkenny is still only 28 years-old and has many more years ahead of him.

12. Left Half Forward: Séan Cavanagh (Tyrone GAA)

Although not in his most natural position here, it was impossible to leave out Séan Cavanagh from this team.
A box-to-box midfielder in his early years, before adapting as a deadly full forward, Cavanagh inspired his native Tyrone to three All-Ireland titles.

He also captained Ireland at the International Rules Series, Cavanagh was a stylish attacker who won Player of the Year in 2008.

Full Forward Line

13. Right Corner Forward: Colm Cooper (Kerry GAA)

How ‘The Gooch’ never won a Footballer of the Year award is almost unfathomable.

Maybe he was a victim of his own consistent brilliance, of which is evident in winning a ridiculous eight All Star awards and kicking Kerry to five All-Irelands.

The Dr Crokes GAA clubman hit a massive 23-283 in his 85 senior appearances for Kerry.

14. Full Forward: Michael Murphy (Donegal GAA)

Although deployed all over the field throughout his career with Donegal, Murphy’s best position is on the edge of the square.

Without him, Donegal would not have won the All-Ireland title in 2012 and been as consistently competitive as they have been.

His goal against Mayo in the 2012 All-Ireland final was sensational and he has captained Donegal to five Ulster titles.

Donegal’s best ever.

15. Left Corner Forward: Conor McManus (Monaghan)

The last place on the team was the most difficult to pick.

Close runners include the championship’s all time leading scorer Cillian O’Connor, Bernard Brogan, Peter Canavan and Con O’Callaghan, however, it’s hard to look McManus.

Although he never competed in an All-Ireland Final, McManus was a mesmerising forward on his day and, at times, looked unmarkable.

A three-time All Star, shone bright on a team that has been fighting far above their weight during this era and we just couldn’t leave him out.

Conclusion

We know we’ve left some superstars out of our team and some can feel really hard done by.

But the standard was incredible and there’s certainly an alternative XV that could be picked!

Why not tell us yours?

You might like our blog on our Retro GAA Jerseys Best Moments?

What does a Black Card mean in GAA

Posted on June 21, 2022 at 12:05 pm.

Written by Ger Flanagan

The black card has been much maligned and changed since it was first introduced into Gaelic football, but what does a black card mean in GAA right now?

It’s as confusing to some as it ever was, and its interpretation can leave a lot to be desired.

In this blog we’ll clarify exactly what does a black card mean in GAA.

If you’re new to GAA and don’t know what it stands for, check out this Blog on what GAA means here.

When was the Black Card in GAA Introduced?

A black card was brought into football back in 2014 in an attempt to curb cynical fouling, which had crept into football.

Remember Seán Kavanagh/Joe Brolly gate?

Well, that moment is often – unfairly or fairly – scapegoated as the tipping point as to why the rule was introduced.

Initially it was decided that the player receiving the black card would be substituted immediately and not allowed back onto the field.

But that has since been changed to the 10-minute sin bin rule.

What does a black card mean in GAA

To be given a black card in the GAA, a player must leave the field for ten minutes, and no replacement can come on during that period.

Effectively, your team is a man down for ten minutes.

Should a player receive a black card followed by a yellow card later in the match, or vice versa, they will be issued a red card.

The time in the sin bin will start when the referee restarts the game after the foul.

The player can only return to play, after the period of ten minutes has ended, at the next break in play and with the permission of the referee.

If the goalkeeper happens to get a black card he could be replaced by one of the outfield players who should wear a distinctive jersey or a sub made.

A black card will also carry into extra time, as well as the non-expired time of the black card.

Black card offences in the GAA

Cynical Behaviour fouls

To deliberately pull down an opponent
To deliberately trip an opponent with the hand, arm leg or foot
To deliberately collide with an opponent after he has played the ball away or for the purpose of taking him out of the movement of play
To remonstrate in an aggressive manner to match officials
To threaten or to use abusive or provocative language or gestures to an opponent or teammate

All these fouls are completely up to the discretion of the referee.

Conclusion

We hope we’ve answered what does a black card mean in GAA for you.

Check out this cool video from the GAA below.

You can check out our GAA ranges HERE.

Your Guide to the GAA on TV this Weekend

Posted on May 30, 2022 at 11:39 am.

Written by Ger Flanagan

With a busy weekend of sport ahead, we’ve got you covered with this guide for all the GAA on TV this weekend.

We love our GAA at Intersport Elverys and this guide has all the details of this weekend’s GAA fixtures that don’t feature on the box too.

GAA on TV this Weekend: Sunday, July 17 2022

All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final

Kilkenny v Limerick at 3.30pm on Sky Sports Arena & RTÉ Sport

Irish Yoga for GAA Players and Athletes

Posted on February 9, 2022 at 1:50 pm.

Written by Ger Flanagan

Irish Yoga continues to grow and grow, in part due to the huge benefits it can bring but also due to the many expert yoga instructors we have.
Intersport Elverys is fortunate to have our own expert Irish yoga instructor, Roberta Harrington, who has already given some great tips and classes on our platforms.

Check them out here blog on Basic Yoga Poses HERE and her Ultimate Guide to Yoga at Home HERE.

In this blog, Roberta takes you through some myths, tips & tricks, plus all the advantages for yoga for footballers, GAA players and athletes.

Irish Yoga Myths

“People always think they are to inflexible for yoga and I always laugh at this because if you’re poor at a particular skill in GAA, then the first thing you do is practice it.

“So if you’re practicing your shooting at first, it can be slow to improve. Equally so with your mobility. But once you practice and give it some time, you will see massive improvement and your body will actually crave it.”

Is Yoga Beneficial to Weight Loss?

“Pending on your fitness and body type, it differs from individual to individual.

“But certainly the more rigorous styles of yoga, such as Vinyasa or power yoga, is a very dynamic type of yoga where you will work on strength-based postures and challenge yourself mentally and physically.

“They may not be suitable for beginners, but certainly for weight loss, to get a good sweat on, or just to tone up and strengthen your core, power yoga is the answer.

“And it burns a lot of calories while also working on that range of motion and flexibility.”

Benefits of Irish Yoga to GAA Players and Footballers

“Yoga can be absolutely incredible when it comes to working towards injury prevention – it’s very proactive in that sense.

“With GAA and other sports, you see a lot of reoccurring injuries, like hamstring tears, ACL injuries and shoulder issues, and with yoga, we learn to adapt in any given situation by increasing or lengthening the muscles within the body.

“So with GAA, you’re doing a lot of the same motions over and over again but when your body is taken out of that position, the potential for injury increases. Yoga is amazing for exposing your body to those positions and getting it used to it.

“You see huge build up in quads and hamstrings with GAA players and other footballers, but sometimes there can be imbalances in glutes or knees and yoga is amazing for these.”

Yoga for Mental Health

“Yoga is also fantastic for concentration, mental focus and clarity, which works wonders on the GAA pitch.

“For game days, simple breathing techniques that you learn in class can really help to ground you and become that little bit more present for the match.”

Is yoga becoming more popular in Ireland with GAA players?

“I see a huge amount of teams now using yoga in pre-season and I am working with a lot too, which is fantastic to see.

“Once it was woman dominated in our classes, now you see a lot of GAA players, rugby players, soccer players, who find it a great way to complement their training on the pitch or in the gym.

“They often had the idea that yoga is really spiritual and done by lads with dreadlocks, and are pleasantly surprised to see that that is not the case. Yoga is a great humbler for them too, because they might think they are really strong or flexible, but one class of yoga shows they are not!

“So my advice is to start basic, don’t feel like you can go straight into an advanced class, find your feet and start to progress from there.”

Most Memorable National League GAA Moments

Posted on January 25, 2022 at 3:12 pm.

Written by Ger Flanagan

To celebrate the start of the 2023 Allianz National League (GAA) in both football and hurling, we’re looking back at some of the most memorable moments throughout the years.

Intersport Elverys is steeped in GAA history and we’ve witnessed some of the best and most exciting moments from teams like Mayo GAA, Dublin GAA and Tipperary GAA to name just a few.

Check out or leading range of county GAA gear right HERE.

Or take a trip down memory lane below.

We’ve got even more quality nostalgic content on our Retro GAA Jerseys Blog – we promise, you’ll enjoy it.

2019 National League: Mayo end Croke Park silverware hiatus

Mayo 3-11 Kerry 2-10

The Green and Red blasting out from the Croke Park speakers shortly after Mayo defeated Kerry in the 2019 National League Final signalled a real release of emotion.

Time and time again Mayo had suffered heartbreak at GAA HQ, many times at the hands of their Kerry opponents, since their last victory in 2001.

The outpouring of emotion by players and supporters showed how much this meant for Mayo GAA.

James Horan’s men were deserved winners, but as they so often did in the past, did things the difficult way, relying on a brilliant injury time save by Robbie Hennelly to keep them in the game.

Ballina’s Ciaran Treacy then goaled in the third minute of injury time to put the game to bed.

Mayo trailed by 2-3 to 0-5 at half time, but big displays from James Carr and Diarmuid O’Connor, before goals from Mattie Ruane and O’Connor, helped Mayo to a famous win.

Shop Mayo GAA HERE.

2011 National League: Dublin GAA’s long wait ended

Dublin 0-22 Kilkenny 1-7

With the Dublin hurling revolution in full steam, they stormed Croke Park and ended a 72-year wait for a National League Hurling title with victory over Kilkenny.

It was no mean feat either to beat the Cats in the manner Dublin did – complete dominance!

Croke Park was rocking and the whole country stood up and took notice.

Anthony Daly’s side rattled Kilkenny from the off, and Brian Cody’s side’s chances went from bad to worse when Eoin Larkin got his marching orders for an off-the-ball incident.

The likes of Liam Rushe and Conal Keaney were outstanding, while the cheers roared out as captain John McCaffrey lifted the trophy in the Hogan Stand.

Shop Dublin GAA HERE.

2003 National League: Cats win all-time classic

Kilkenny 5-14 Tipperary 5-13

Has there been a greater National League Hurling final than the 2003 clash between hurling’s great rivals?

The two best teams in the land put on a spectacle of hurling and recorded the highest aggregate score ever recorded in a National League Hurling final.

Amazingly, there was 6-6 along scored in the final 15 minutes of carnage, with 4-4 of that going in favour of Kilkenny, who came back from eight points down to win.

A second goal from Martin Comerford in the 50^th minute sparked the recovery, before Lar Corbett temporarily replied for Tipperary to quinch the glimmer from the Cats.

But then all hell broke loose, with Charlier Carter and DJ Carey combing for a goal, before Carter hit Kilkenny’s first and then the dazzling Eddie Brennan rifled home the fifth to give them a 5-12 to 4-13 lead.

Tipp’s John Carroll then restored his side’s lead with his second goal of the game.

But cometh the hour, cometh the man and that was Henry Shefflin.

He levelled the game with a free in the 69^th minute before kicking over the winning point in injury time after a dazzling run.

Phew!

Shop Tipperary GAA or Kilkenny GAA here.

1991 National League: Offaly cross final frontier

Offaly 2-6 Wexford 0-10

1991 was the year in which Offaly cemented their status in hurling’s hall of fame.

Never before had they captured a National League title in Croke, despite their success throughout the 1980s.

In beating a dogged Wexford, the young Offaly team, of which nine starters were under the age of 25, Padraig Horan’s side were determination personified.

Goals either side of half time from Daithi Regan was pivotal, while dual-star star Michael Duignan had an outstanding 35 minutes, despite being marked by the highly rated Liam Dunne.

But the likes of Johnny Pilkington and Niall McDonald stood up when needed in the second half to fire their county to the promise land.

Shop Offaly GAA right HERE.

2009-2012 National League: Rebels go on the rampage

The year 2009 marked a four-year National League winning streak for the Cork GAA footballers with a 1-14 to 0-12 win over Monaghan in the Division 2 Final.

From there, the Cork GAA footballers would complete a historic three-in-a-row of National League Division 1 titles.

At the time it was considering a marvellous achievement, compared to the days of Micko’s dominating tenure with the Kerry team in the 70s in one way.

What made the achievement even more impressive was that they did it without the wider support of the Cork GAA public, who showed little appetite for football and barely travelled to Croke Park.

In 2010, Cork defeated Mayo 1-17 to 0-12 with starring performances from Daniel Goulding and Donncha O’Connor.

The year after, they came from seven points down midway through the second half to defeat Dublin by 0-21 to 2-14, thanks to a late point from Ciaran Sheeran.

In 2012, Mayo again were the victims, with Cork running out 2-10 to 0-11 victors and looking like a real tour-de-force.

Shop Cork GAA right HERE.

2017 National League: Kerry end Dublin’s reign

Kerry 0-20 Dublin 1-16

Jim Gavin’s Dublin team were in the midst of their juggernaut when Kerry spoiled their four-year reign as Division 1 National Football League champions.

In a pulsating encounter, Dean Rock saw a late free strike the post to send the game to extra as the Kerry GAA claimed their first national league title since 2009.

The game had it’s fair share of controversy, with referee Paddy Neilan flashing black cards to Dublin’s Diarmuid Connolly, and Kerry’s Anthony Maher and Johnathan Lyne.

However, late points from midfield duo David Moran and Brian Sheehan helped Kerry over the line by the narrowest of margins.

The Kingdom will also thank the outstanding Paul Geaney, who hit 0-8 (4f) on the day for their win.

Shop Kerry GAA right HERE.

Conclusion

We hope you enjoyed this National League GAA most memorable moments.

Make sure to let us know what your favourite moments from the National League are.

If you’re a complete newbie to the GAA, our Ultimate Guide to Gaelic Football Positions Blog might help you out.