The Sligo Rovers Annual Draw generated a truly extraordinary €78,340 in ticket sales this year.
David Gaule from Rathcormack won the top prize of €5,000.
This year the Annual Draw ticket sellers covered more ground than every before, going door to door, not just in County Sligo and Sligo Town but border regions and other counties as well.
The team was up to 20 people and the result was remarkable.
Club chairman Martin Heraghty said: “This is an incredible achievement by everyone at the club and the region. It shows what Sligo Rovers means to the public.
“A volunteer team devoted their summer nights to selling tickets on behalf of the club. They sacrificed time with family, friends on evenings and weekends going door to door. This is the history, heritage and spirit of Sligo Rovers at its strongest.
“I can tell you I am very proud of that team today. Mark Cummins in particular deserves great credit as the head of the group and chief organiser of the draw.
“We issued a message at the mid-season break over the difficulty of running a League of Ireland club in the current environment. We spoke about rising costs and an under-funded league. I wish I could tell you €78,000 is going to a new project or an idea for the future. The generosity of our fans in supporting it speaks volumes. They understand the environment.
“The reality is this is to fund the club for those costs and without it we would be having a different conversation today.
“We know the unquenchable desire within Sligo for the club to achieve success again and tickets sales extended to Leitrim and Mayo which also tells a story.
“It inspires the committee, it inspires the ticket sellers, and the playing squad and management have a greater understanding of why this all happens which is important to us as a club.
“We will use this momentum to try to keep driving this club in an upward trajectory.”
The prize winners:
1st prize: €5,000 – David Gaule, Rathcormack
2nd prize: One Night B&B for two people at the 5 Star Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin – Austin O’Callaghan, Rahaberna
3rd prize: Two tickets for Rod Stewart for his 4th December Concert plus One Night B&B and Evening Meal in The Croke Park Hotel. – Brendan O’Donnell c/o PSO
4th prize: One Night B&B and Evening Meal for two people at the Titanic Hotel in Belfast – Dylan Henry, Ballisadare
5th prize: One Night B&B for two people in Hotel Westport, Co Mayo – Gerard Devaney, Lisheen
6th prize: €200 voucher for 4 Star Old Ground Hotel, Ennis, Co Clare – Paul Feehily, Tubbercurry
7th prize: €150 Gift Voucher for The Cat and The Moon – Stephanie Sproule
8th prize: Sligo Rovers season ticket for 2020 – Niall McLean, Dublin Supporters Club
9th prize: 2 Premier Level Tickets for the Republic of Ireland versus Switzerland on 5th September in Aviva Stadium Euro 2020 qualifer – Brendan Rooney, Circular Road
10th prize: Signed Sligo Rovers jersey – PJ Sweeney
