One of Ireland’s leading law firms, Eugene F Collins, is to sponsor Ireland’s U16, U18 and U21 girls’ hockey teams. The 12-month sponsorship will focus on supporting these teams into the future and supports Eugene F Collins aim to “Empower Future Champions.”
As the primary sponsor of the teams, the legal firm will provide support and resources as the players continue their season with an eye to the future European Championships and upcoming international tournaments.
All three teams have busy summers ahead and the U16’s will travel to Germany for a tri-nations series with Germany and the Netherlands in May before they then play host to a prestigious Six Nations tournament that welcomes Germany, England, Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain to Cork in July.
The U18’s, meanwhile, will travel to Santander for the U18 European Championships where they will face Germany, England and Belarus in the showpiece event of the junior age group calendar. The U21’s team has fixtures against Wales and England to look forward to, along with an U23 invitational tournament in Belgium in July.
According to Mark Walsh, managing partner at Eugene F Collins: “We are delighted to announce our sponsorship of the U16, U18 and U21 Hockey Ireland girls’ teams. At Eugene F Collins, as an Irish owned and run organisation, we want to play our part in supporting young Irish talent, both as regards those we hire and develop within our firm professionally, but also in the wider community. As our name, EFC confirms, we are about ‘Empowering Future Champions’. This sponsorship allows us to make a very real difference to these teams and help them achieve their full potential in the upcoming tournaments and indeed in the future with an eye to Olympic qualification. 2018 marks the start of an exciting journey for these teams and as an organisation we’re excited to see how these teams progress and grow.”
Hockey Ireland’s CEO Jerome Pels adds: “We are delighted to have Eugene F Collins as a valued partner and sponsor of our girls junior age group teams. Teamwork is a core value of Eugene F Collins and we are thrilled to be working with a partner that understands the commitment and dedication of these players. It is an exciting year for hockey at all age groups; with several tournaments in the pipeline for junior teams and of course a World Cup for both of our senior teams, there will be plenty of hockey for the public to watch and support over the coming months.”
The legal firm’s sponsorship of under-age ladies’ hockey in Ireland will come as a welcome boost to Hockey Ireland. With the Irish women playing in the World Cup in London in July and the men playing in the World Cup in Bhubaneswar, India in November, Hockey Ireland has yet to secure sponsors for both teams.
