According to a report in today's Limerick Leader by sports editor John O'Shaughnessy, businessman JP McManus has offered to sponsor all the county's football and hurling teams for a three-year period.
The multi-millionaire last year donated €5 million to the Limerick County Board to help clear debts on the revamped Gaelic Grounds, and has now offered to come to the board's assistance again, the report claims.
The report states that contracts were exchanged at his Martinstown Stud yesterday morning. A county board source would not confirm or deny the story, but did say a press conference to announce details of "an exciting new sponsorship package" would be held next week.
The Leader report describes the figures involved in the deal as "quite considerable" .
The logo on the team gear has yet to be decided but according to sources, McManus doe not wish be have his name inscribed.
The teams were sponsored for the last four years by the Moran Hotel group and Limerick were involved in talks with potential sponsors before McManus stepped in.
At a recent county board meeting, chairman Pat Fitzgerald warned that expenditure on county teams in 2004 was the highest ever and said full details would be revealed at the December convention.
McManus is a staunch Limerick fan and has expressed his regret that the county had not won the All-Ireland senior hurling title since 1973. Joe McKenna, a friend of McManus, was on that team and two weeks ago was brought on board as a senior hurling team selector.
