Tyrone to host 24-hour Gaelic football match

Knowing them Ulster ones, it’ll probably end 0-8 to 0-7.

Are you free for a game in January? Are you free for a whole day to play that game? Well then this could be just for you.

A 24-hour ‘Marathon Match’ will take place on January 7 and January 8 at Tyrone GAA’s Garvaghey Centre to raise funds for Cancer Focus NI and the Michaela Foundation.

In what will be a Guinness World Record game of Gaelic football, both charities are seeking 42 enthusiastic footballers to play the longest match in history.

The Michaela Foundation was set up in memory of and inspired by the life of Michaela McAreavey, daughter of Tyrone manager Mickey Harte, and the game will see one team represent that charity and go head-to-head against another team that will play for Cancer Focus NI.

And the match is open to applicants.

Community Fundraiser with Cancer Focus NI, Eoin Treanor, has led the call for Gaels to register their interest in the 24-hour game:

“We’re calling on anyone who would like to take part to contact us as soon as possible to register their interest in being part of Gaelic footballing history,” Treanor said.

If you are interested in taking part at Garvaghey on the 7^th and 8^th of January, you can contact the Marathon Match team by emailing fundraising@cancerfocusni.org, by calling 028 9066 3281 or by visiting the Facebook or website pages of Cancer Focus NI or Michaela Foundation.

Applications to play in the game close on Monday December 14^th.

The game that is being hosted in partnership with O’Neill’s International Sports will feature rest breaks every hour and rolling subs, but each team will only have six substitutes.

It’ll be 15 on 15 and they will play over the course of 24 full hours.

Male players are require, aged 18 years and older.

Mickey Harte is already signed up to help both teams reach the full slog but this really is going to be a marathon effort.

Who are the winners of the much-coveted 2016 Wooly Awards? Find out in our GAA Hour Special

The FootballJOE quiz: Were you paying attention? – episode 10