Armagh's fake Sam Maguire Cup warning not a first
Armagh manager Kieran McGeeney lifts the Sam Maguire Cup after victory over Galway
- Published
The GAA has revealed that Armagh GAA's warning aware of a fake Sam Maguire Cup being taken to venues for "substantial amounts of money" is not a first.
The GAA's director of communications Alan Milton told BBC Sport Northern Ireland that counterfeit All-Ireland Football Championship trophies had been used in a similar way on previous occasions in Dublin and Tyrone for illicit monetary gain.
"A fake Sam Maguire Cup emerged after one of Dublin’s All-Ireland Final wins a number of years ago and it had to be taken out of circulation and destroyed and there was a similar situation in Tyrone as one occasion," added the GAA's director of communications.
"It doesn’t happen every year. It’s happened on a couple of occasions in the 15 years that I’ve been working in my role."
Milton described the news which emerged in the All-Ireland champions' statement on Tuesday as "very disappointing and very disrespectful to the legacy and history of the competition and the trophy and all the people involved in it".
"The most pertinent line in Armagh’s statement was how the GAA would never ever change for the Sam Maguire Cup being taken around schools or hospitals or wherever.
"When you get a perfect storm and a county that hasn’t won the All-Ireland title in a long time and there’s crazy demand to get access to the trophy, opportunities might present themselves to people who see a chance to make money."
Only a 'passing resemblance' to real trophy
The counterfeit Sam Maguire trophy
Milton praised Armagh GAA's "quick" response in informing the public about the illicit use of a fake trophy.
"We don’t know where these trophies are based. There’s aren’t too many of them," he added.
"If Armagh bring anything to our attention that we can work on, we’ll definitely look into it."
It is understood the counterfeit trophy was taken around a number of venues in Carlingford last weekend.
The Croke Park official added that "any keen GAA watcher" would have quickly realised that the trophy was not the real Sam Maguire Cup.
"There’s a passing resemblance yes but on close examination it’s very, very easy to tell that this trophy is not the real deal."
The Orchard County won the biggest prize in football for a second time after beating Galway in the All-Ireland SFC final at Croke Park in July.
"Armagh GAA have been made aware of a counterfeit Sam Maguire trophy being taken around a number of pubs, event venues and schools in exchange for substantial amounts of money," said Armagh's statement.
"Armagh GAA have clearly established guidelines and methods for requesting the use/appearance of the Sam Maguire and will NEVER charge for this."