As Halifax finish their first successful year involved in Gaelic Games, plans to build their partnership with the GPA in 2009 are well underway. Director of Sales and Gaeil Colmcille clubman Karl Manning is very aware of the hard work that clubs put in and is keen to ensure that the grassroots are the focus of his company's relationship with Gaelic Games across the country. Karl Manning has been working as the Director of Sales with Halifax for just over a year now and admits that he has been "very busy" in his time there thus far. A GAA enthusiast in both the football and hurling codes, Manning hails from Kells town where he played underage football with the local club for many years before jetting across the Channel to work in England for a stint. Since returning back to the homeland he has progressed his career with Halifax and this year has pulled back on the green, red and white jersey for his club to represent the junior side in football. Manning is also an avid follower of the Gaeil Colmcille hurling club in the parish, which captured a second Meath Intermediate Hurling Championship title in the club's name after beating off Dunderry by three points in an enthralling decider in Navan back in early October. "I would be more of a football man when it comes to playing. I played with Kells from underage all the way up, but I'd say my best days are behind me," he joked. "I'd of been a renowned half-forward, or even a corner-forward, but I moved to England to work for a while and couldn't give the commitment to keep playing. I made my comeback this year with the junior team, but we didn't progress in the championship. Hopefully I'll have the time to go out again next year." As an age-group that underachieved somewhat on an underage scale in football down the years, Manning recalls only being involved in one success thus far back in the twilight of his underage days. "The biggest win I can remember being part of was when Kells won the Under 21 Championship back in 1996," he recalls. "I was only a young lad back then, but unfortunately that's as good as it got for me in underage football when I was playing. There are high hopes for the minor hurlers this year," Manning remarks. "I was speaking to a couple of the trainers and they expect three or four to be part of the county minor setup in the coming year, which would be terrific for the club." Manning is of the view that sponsors play a key role in supporting Gaelic games. "Sponsorship is not just about attaching your name to something, it's about connecting with people and showing that you understand their needs and support them locally. Gaelic games are the very fabric of Irish society and the commitment of the clubs and their players is what's securing its future. I know that my involvement with my own club over the past number of years has allowed me to appreciate and understand the role Halifax has to play as sponsor. Over the past year we have worked hard with the GPA to introduce initiatives and develop long-term plans that will work to enhance and improve Gaelic at a local and inter-county level. One such initiative is the Hurling Twinning Programme. Launched this year, in partnership with the GPA and aimed at improving the small ball game in the weaker counties, this summer saw players from Liam MacCarthy Cup counties, such as Kilkenny, Waterford and Cork, teaming up with the more non-traditional hurling counties competing in the Nicky Rackard Cup, like Sligo, Cavan and south Down outfit Non Ards in training sessions to help coach them and improve their players' game. Speaking at the programme's official launch earlier this year, Manning said that Halifax was "delighted to be involved in promoting the sport in non-traditional hurling counties," and that it was "great to see the GPA taking such a proactive approach to promoting hurling throughout Ireland." Manning also went on to add that it showed the passion the players from the traditionally strong counties had for the game, as they were willing invest their time with other counties who were just as passionate about the sport. The programme proved to be a massive success for all parties involved, with rave reviews being received from the coached counties. Such was the will for this initiative to become a success that in one instance Waterford players John Mullane and Eoin Kelly landed into Kingspan Breffni Park by helicopter to train the Cavan hurlers. "The hurling twinning programme is one of the most successful sponsorship initiatives we have been part of in recent times," Manning admitted. "However, the Fair Play award, another Halifax/GPA collaboration, was also well received last year with Alan Keirns scooping up the prize of 15,000 euro off his mortgage as inaugural award winner last December. "Our partnership with the GPA and our excellent working relationship we have with Dessie (Farrell) and his team has allowed us to align Halifax with a number of initiatives to support players and their clubs at a local level - this is the core of our sponsorship strategy." Last year, saw the GPA pushing hard for inter-county players' grants and Manning is one of many who would agree that GAA players' commitment these days in their respective sport has had to rise significantly. "The commitment required these days is definitely more than it use to be," said Manning. "At inter-county level you always see it being compared to a professional set-up." He doesn't think the bill just stops at inter-county level though. "Even at club level players are training on their own, watching what they eat and staying away from alcohol weeks before games for their fitness. But, again, the bar has been raised and that's what it takes, I suppose." In October, Manning saw that same commitment pay-off first hand, when he was in attendance at Pairc Tailteann to watch the Meath IHC final where Gaeil Colmcille overcame Dunderry by 2-13 to 2-10. After losing their last two finals, the Kells outfit came back strong in this year's decider to put in a stirring first-half performance that saw them puck 2-7 to their opponents' 0-3 in the opening 30 minutes for what was to prove an unassailable lead. Dunderry came back with a brawly performance in the second-half, which saw them outscore the eventual winners by 2-7 to 0-6 in the second-half-hour, but it was Gaeil Colmcille who ran-out convincing winners much to the delight of Manning. "When you see the way the country is at the moment with regards to young people looking to get involved in sport or activities, the GAA is still very hard to beat. "It's brilliant because it brings everyone together," he stressed. "I mean the friends I have today are still the ones I have from when my Dad, Frankie, was taking me over to put on an Under 10 jersey for Kells, and I think it stands to you the more you become involved with the GAA." Tweet

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