AIB/GAA Toughest Rivalry Episode 1: Meet The Managers – The Toughest Rivalry
AIB, the creators of hit shows The Toughest Trade, Jeff and Kammy’s Journey to Croker and Behind The Gates have sponsored the AIB All Ireland Club Championships for 27 years. AIB recently extended their sponsorship of the GAA All Ireland Football Championship for a further five years.
In 1998, Erin’s Isle met Castlehaven in the AIB GAA All Ireland Club Semi-Finals. With 13 minutes remaining Erin’s Isle and Dublin star player, Charlie Redmond, receives a red card widely regarded as harsh. Two points down with seconds remaining the game looks likes its Castlehaven’s. When a long ball towards the Castlehaven goal seems to be dribbling wide only to be picked up by an Erin’s Isle forward, scooped back and shot towards the net by Niall Crossan. The ball hit one post, then a second post before shooting out. The goal was awarded, Erin’s Isle claim the game by one point but the debate over whether the goal was in fact a goal still rages.
Friday, July 13th 2018: The first episode of AIB’s eagerly anticipate new series, The Toughest Rivalry, airs today. The series introduces renowned Premier League Manager Harry Redknapp and former Sampdoria, Juventus and Italy striker, manager and World Footballer of the Year in 1995, Gianluca Vialli to the culture of GAA in Ireland.
Both Premier League powerhouses will take charge of two rival GAA clubs. Vialli with Erin’s Isle in Dublin, and Redknapp with Castlehaven in West Cork. The two teams faced off in an infamous 1998 AIB GAA All-Ireland Club Semi-Final, where Castlehaven were defeated by a last-minute questionable goal. The controversial ending left both teams with unfinished business.
Episode 1 is now available to view here: https://youtu.be/GiTIrRcJYUU
The series will culminate in an epic rematch, set to take place at the end of the summer with Vialli and Redknapp managing their teams and using their managerial expertise to improve and make a difference to their respective teams.
AIB, proud sponsor of both Club and County, believe that GAA, as #TheToughest sport of all, is built upon rivalries be they local, county, provincial or national. GAA rivalries, despite being as intense as any in world sport, are rivalries of the very best kind. These rivalries bring out the very best in GAA players, fans and their communities.
Over the next eight weeks, AIB’s exclusive eight-part video series will reveal how Harry and Gianluca fared as they swapped their soccer managerial skills for those of a GAA manager.
This week the two managers travel to their respective destination and get to grips with the task ahead.
AIB’s ‘The Toughest Rivalry’ will air each Friday on www.youtube.com/aib and AIB’s other social channels.
For exclusive content and behind the scenes action from Harry and Gianluca’s journey follow AIB GAA on Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and facebook.com/AIBGAA.
