The Monaghan GAA Supporters Club announced a major new sponsorship deal with 4HOME Superstores in February 2008 which saw the local branch of the DIY superstore chain provide sponsorship towards the prizes for all of their half-time draws throughout the year. 4HOME Superstores - Ireland's newest and brightest Home and Garden Superstore - showed its support for Monaghan GAA this year when it agreed to sponsor the prizes for the half-time draws which took place during all of the Monaghan football team's home matches, as well as during all the major county senior football championship games this year. 4HOME Superstores' donation of EUR3,000 to the Monaghan GAA Supporters Club enabled them to raise many thousand euro more through their half-time draws. The money raised is used to offset the cost of preparing all Monaghan teams. The launch of the sponsorship deal took place in Clones on Sunday, March 2 when Monaghan recorded a narrow victory over neighbours Armagh in their National League clash. The winner of the first draw was Smithboro native Des Curley, who is now resident in Donegal. "It was a great way to launch the sponsorship," says Tom Flynn, manager of 4HOME Superstores Monaghan branch, which is located in the Monaghan Retail Park on the Clones Road. "We provided the Monaghan Supporters Club with EUR3,000 which they used as a prize fund for their half-time draws. We got great publicity from the deal which I m sure was a great boost to the Supporters Club in their fundraising endeavours," the Galway native adds. The vital link in the sponsorship was former Clontibret O'Neill's and Monaghan player Brian Morgan, who is manager of 4HOME Superstores' builders' provider section in Monaghan. He explains: "I was delighted to be in a position to help out after some of the people from the Monaghan Supporters Club approached me. It's nice to be able to put something back into the GAA, who are among our best customers. Several GAA clubs in the area have been in to us to buy materials for their new clubhouse and pitch developments." Brian, who retired from playing this year, is a well-known figure in Monaghan GAA circles. He represented Monaghan in both football and hurling, having first come to notice as a member of the under 21 side that lost the 1992 Ulster final to a star-studded Tyrone. A tight-marking corner back, he was Monaghan Footballer of the Year in 1997, and received a similar accolade in Australia the following year. He was a member of the Monaghan senior football panel from 1991 to '97, and later lined out for the county hurlers. At club level, Brian won senior football championship medals with Clontibret in 1994, '97, 2002 and 2006. He played on the Clontibret team which lost this year's senior hurling final to five-in-a-row chasing Castleblayney Faughs. Not surprisingly, he was disappointed to see the O Neill's fall short in their quest for a hat-trick of senior football successes this year. "There was huge disappointment after they lost the county semi-final to Carrickmacross, but the three-in-a-row is a very hard thing to achieve as Kerry also found out this year. Without trying to take anything away from Carrickmacross, I felt the exertions of the past few years took its toll on our players, especially the seven lads who were on the county panel," he says. 4HOME Superstores was the first unit to open for business at Monaghan Retail Park two years ago, and has since been joined by Argos, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Next and Value Tile. "The opening of the other outlets has had a positive effect on our business in that they have attracted more people to the Retail Park. Business has picked up considerably with the opening of the other stores," Tom Flynn explains. 4HOME's Monaghan outlet, which employs 20 staff, is one of 13 dotted throughout the country. The other branches are located in Carrigaline, Mallow, Midleton, Macroom and Ballincollig (all Co. Cork), Killarney, Co. Kerry, Limerick, Carlow, Portlaoise and Graiguecullen (both Co. Laois), Ashbourne, Co. Meath, Gorey, Co. Wexford and Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Roscommon. 4HOME Superstores is more than just a shop, it is the start of your home improvement plans and the perfect destination that provides you with the solution to improve your home living environment. 4HOME stores provide you with an extensive range of higher quality merchandise from leading brands, all offered at the most competitive prices. Most importantly, 4HOME offers you a level of quality service and experience that allows you to "bring your home to life". 4HOME is a quality, modern DIY superstore chain operating to the highest standards of customer service, procurement practices, store design and category management. 4HOME Superstores is a subsidiary of Reox Holdings PLC and plans to create more than 600 jobs over the next three years through a national network of stores including company owned and franchise stores. This will establish it as a top player in the DIY/Homeware market in Ireland. The 4HOME range covers everything a householder requires of a DIY/hardware/homeware/garden store  all under one roof along with a full range of builders providers products for the trade customer. 4HOME Superstores is designed to be both customer and family-friendly and applies the highest standards of merchandising to clearly defined departments, allowing customers to find what they want and need quickly and easily. A great deal of emphasis is placed on staff training and 4HOME prides itself on giving its customers the best customer service in the industry. Consumers visit hardware and DIY shops for the advice and helpful hints as much as the actual purchases, 4HOME gives its customers the expertise and the product knowledge as well as the product choice, range and value. In conclusion, Tom says: "On behalf of 4HOME Superstores, I would like to wish all Monaghan county and club teams continued success, and we look forward to working with Monaghan GAA again in the future." Tweet

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