By Mark Baber
December 15 – Tennant’s NI has been unveiled as the new title sponsor of the world’s fourth-oldest national cup completion – The Irish Cup – which will now be known as the Tennent’s Irish Cup.
The announcement was made at the draw for Round Five of the knock-out competition and marks an extension of the partnership between the Irish Football Association and Tennent’s NI who are already the Northern Ireland team’s official beer partner and recently secured a five-year contract to supply draught beers and ciders at the new National Football Stadium for Northern Ireland at Windsor Park.
Brian Beattie, Marketing Director at Tennent’s NI local football across Northern Ireland, commented on the deal saying, “This new five-year partnership reinforces our brand’s commitment to football – and its many fans – at both local and international level.
“It’s a refreshing and exciting opportunity for Tennent’s Lager to engage with the sport right across Northern Ireland and show our long-standing and loyal consumers that we share their passion.
“Football is, famously, one of the most sociable of team sports so it’s a natural link for Tennent’s Lager which has always been at the heart of sporting and community sociability in Northern Ireland.
“With Round 5 matches of the Tennent’s Irish Cup taking place on Saturday 9th January, this will be a great start to 2016 – another great year for football in Northern Ireland!”
Jim Shaw, IFA President, said: “I am delighted that the Irish Cup has a new sponsor, especially a brand as prestigious as Tennent’s Lager. The Tennent’s Irish Cup is the centrepiece of our local game and with this new partnership I look forward to seeing the competition go from strength to strength in the coming seasons.”
Glentoran are the current holders of the Irish Cup after beating Portadown 1–0 in the 2015 final.
The Cup had been without a sponsor since JJB Sports went into administration in October 2012. It had previously been sponsored by the Nationwide Building Society and Bass Ireland Ltd.
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