Thomond Park to Host Soccer?

[Flawless]

From rte.ie -

Officials at Thomond Park are ready to open their doors to soccer after UEFA approved the venue as an international soccer venue.

The stadium is believed to be in serious talks with some of the leading European soccer clubs about hosting a pre-season tournament in the near future.

Stadium Director John Cantwell has confirmed that such a move would be subject to ratification by the IRFU and the FAI.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2008/1...omondpark.html

Officials hope to announce more details early in the new year


Interesting move, the redeveloped stadium is Something else..

[Lionel Ritchie]

I just hope they fix their friggin alarm and tannoy system. I live across the road and it went off at 4am on Wednesday morning.

Seriously though this'd be great. I'd love to see Irelands qualifiers against smaller sides played there ...though I've no expectation this will happen with the new LR on the way.

[gspain]

Thomond Park has been hosting football matches since 1960 (at least) so never a problem with access to it. This would need FAI approval and I trust any such tournament would include a local side.

I had heard rumours afew months back that the crowd that organised Barcelona's tours to Scotland in recent years were trying to do something similiar in Limerick.

[tetsujin1979]

Can't see it getting any qualifiers, but you'd imagine a B international, or underage qualifier would be a good fit for Thomond

[bwagner]

i think it would be great we should organize a small international tournament in the summer like the english did a few years ago with Japan and Iceland

[Dodge]

I had heard rumours afew months back that the crowd that organised Barcelona's tours to Scotland in recent years were trying to do something similiar in Limerick.

That'd be Fintan Drury's Platinum One. Am I right in thinking both ends of the ground are terraced?

[joeSoap]

This is a major boost. The city now boasts a magnificent stadium, top class hotel accommodations, a reasonable transport infrastructure, and most importantly as the carrot to dangle, the facilities in the University for training for clubs in pre-season are second to none.

[joeSoap]

That'd be Fintan Drury's Platinum One. Am I right in thinking both ends of the ground are terraced?

Yes, both ends of the ground are terraced, but temporary seating to these terraces would be no problem. They are quite small as terraces go. There are I believe seats for 21,000 as it stands.

[joeSoap]

A recent photo

[Hunty's Flatcap]

Looks like a real option for the B fixtures if not the U-21's. I personally can't see the first team playing there any time soon. I've never been, any idea if the pitch will be close to the stands - one of the more obvious problems with Croker.

[Flawless]

Great boost for munster and the west aswell, alternative FAI Cup Final venue perhaps?..Lets for talks sake say its a Cork Vs Galway Final!

[neville neville]

would be a good venue for smaller friendlies.

[elroy]

I think it would be a great idea to play a smaller friendly there, it would sell out and would give the opportunity to plenty of people down that end of the country who cant make a mid week friendly to attend.

Although at the moment, the Fai are getting in the region of 50k for each friendly and the lowest attendance i can remember in recent years for a friendly in LR was in the lows 30ks, so they would probably lose out by having a match down there.

[Dodge]

BTW when Lansdowne opens there's absolutely no chance of the FAI using anything else so get it while its going (they'll need all the revenue they can get, and if they're selling 10 year tickets, they'll need to ensure they get access to everything...)

[paul_oshea]

Great boost for munster and the west aswell, alternative FAI Cup Final venue perhaps?..Lets for talks sake say its a Cork Vs Galway Final!

Not the west.

[Claret Murph]

Not the west.

I was thinking more of a Galway v Mervue final myself

[OneRedArmy]

Great ground for rugby, credit to the foresight of the Munster branch, but terracing at either ends and in front of stands (similar to old Lansdowne) plus FAI's need to re-coup Lansdowne investment will make it very hard for them to get a look in at staging anything of note.

[KevB76]

This is a major boost. The city now boasts a magnificent stadium, top class hotel accommodations, a reasonable transport infrastructure, and most importantly as the carrot to dangle, the facilities in the University for training for clubs in pre-season are second to none.

....and the least expensive in Ireland, its official

[ifk101]

Great ground for rugby, credit to the foresight of the Munster branch, but terracing at either ends and in front of stands (similar to old Lansdowne) plus FAI's need to re-coup Lansdowne investment will make it very hard for them to get a look in at staging anything of note.

Thomond won't host a full football international anytime soon. But its sounds like they are just looking to host a pre-season club tournament to raise cash for the redevelopment costs.

Otherwise the FAI could probably make a successful bid for the U21 European Championships with Thomond's availability. Hosting is the only way we could qualify for that tournament .

[tetsujin1979]

My Campus house is right beside the Arena outdoor pitch

you're in Kilmurry so? I lived there in 3rd year in college