Major American football date for Donnybrook

DONNYBROOK
Stadium is hosting two American football games as part of the Global Ireland
Football Tournament (GIFT) 2012 this summer.

The former home
of the reigning Heineken Cup European champions, Leinster Rugby Club, will join
GAA venues Páirc Tailteann in Navan, County Meath, and Parnell Park in
Donnycarney on the Northside for the series of games on Friday, August 31.

Organiser
Global Football has also announced that tickets for all GIFT 2012 events, which
each offer six hours’ worth of top-quality American football action, have gone
on sale through www.tickets.ie/ GIFT2012 priced

?¬15 for adults and

?¬10 for
students, with free admission for children aged 12 and under.

High school
teams Loyola Academy from Illinois and Jesuit College Preparatory School of
Dallas, Texas, will kick off the Donnybrook event at 4pm, followed by a 7.30pm
clash between John Carroll University from Ohio and St Norbert College from
Wisconsin.

The

‘double-header’ in Dublin is one of three American football showcases that day
featuring a total of 12 teams on the eve of the Emerald Isle Classic at the
Aviva Stadium between Notre Dame and Navy.
Details of all games can be found at www.GIFT2012

.com.

“From my first
visit to Dublin, I identified Donnybrook as an ideal setting for two of our
historic games,

? said Patrick Steenberge of Global Football.

“Upon entering the stadium I got the feeling
of a traditional sports ground where thousands of classic games have been
played. Leinster Rugby is the premier club in all of Europe, and our
partnership with them and the other rugby clubs that share Donnybrook is very
special. With its proximity to the city
centre, this will be the easiest GIFT stadium for fans to access.

?

David Ross,
Leinster Executive Services Manager and Operations Manager for the Donnybrook
stadium said Leinster Rugby was delighted with the announcement.

“Four American
Football teams will play in Donnybrook on Friday, August 31,

? he said.

“It is
the traditional Leinster home ground for our main Schools Rugby Cup
Competitions, as well as our Leinster Domestic Rugby Representative sides at
underage levels Under 18s and 19s.

“In addition,
Leinster U20s and Leinster

‘A’ teams also play their top home games in
Donnybrook.

“Being so close
to the Aviva Stadium, the August 31 American Football games will be the ideal
opener for the big game there on September 1 and we look forward to welcoming
the large number of American visitors to our grounds.

?