Lidl will invest €1.5 million in Ladies football in the first year of a three-year partnership with the Ladies Gaelic Football Association (LGFA).

The partnership first came to light last week when Lidl and the LGFA revealed that they were part of the Ladyball campaign hoax which aimed to raise the profile of women's sport in Ireland.

Lidl will be title sponsor of the Lidl Ladies National Football Leagues as well as the Lidl Post Primary Schools Competitions, the Lidl Gaelic4Mothers & Others programme, while they will also offer support during the Championship.

In a statement, the LGFA said: "Croke Park was the venue for the partnership announcement that will see Lidl invest over €1.5 million in Ladies Gaelic Football in year one of a three year deal, making this the most significant partnership announcement in Irish women’s sport in the past decade.

"Lidl will also be title sponsor of the Lidl Ladies National Football Leagues which get underway on January 31st throughout the country. They will also be title sponsors of the Lidl Post Primary Schools Competitions, the Lidl Gaelic4Mothers & Others programme as well as offering supporting during the Championship."

Speaking at the announcement of the agreement at Croke Park on Thursday, Cork's dual star Rena Buckley said "any sponsorship deals that are bring publicity to ladies football are great", and that the sport has seen huge growth in recent years, which the deal with Lidl can help.

Jenny Rogers of Westmeath added that "it's about time ladies football and ladies sport in general started being taken seriously and people started paying attenion to it, beacuse so much effort and commitment goes into it, the same as men's sport".