FIRST IT was Roy Keane, then the Drumaville consortium; now bookmaker Boylesports looks set to become the latest Irish connection to cut its links with English Premier League team Sunderland.

Its three-year deal expires at the end of this season, and it is understood the Irish bookie does not intend to exercise an option to renew as a cost-cutting measure.

Boylesports signed up as Sunderland’s shirt sponsor in April 2007, a time when the club was owned by the Drumaville consortium, which included Irish publicans Charlie Chawke and Louis Fitzgerald, and was managed by Roy Keane.

Aer Arann operated special flights to games for Irish fans and corporates.

Reports at the time said the sponsorship was worth £10 million, with Boylesports looking to promote its online betting service. Like all bookies, Boylesports is feeling the pinch and is retrenching.

With no retail presence in Britain, the Sunderland deal is an obvious one to cut loose.

It’s been a busy time on the sports sponsorship front. Bank of Ireland is ending its association with Padraig Harrington, while Musgrave has signed up with the GAA to have SuperValu and Centra sponsor the All Ireland football and hurling championships respectively. The deal is believed to be worth more than €2 million a year.