Kidney sounds a note of caution

IRELAND rugby coach Declan Kidney has sounded a note of caution ahead of Sunday’s big Guinness Series clash with Australia at Croke Park, pointing out that the Grand Slam winners have only beaten the Wallabies twice in their 10 meetings during rugby’s professional era.
Kidney’s Ireland begin their three-match autumn international series with a fixture against an Australian side boosted by their victory over England at Twickenham on Saturday.
Sunday’s meeting at GAA headquarters has a 3pm kick-off.
Head coach Kidney is hoping Ireland build on their Grand Slam heroics of last March, but he stressed that the team was under no illusion about the size of the task facing them in the coming weeks with Test matches against Australia, followed by fixtures with Fiji and World champions, South Africa.


“Last year we played one Tri-Nations team and came a bad second to New Zealand. They (Tri-Nations teams) are the next target for us,” Declan Kidney pointed out.
“This year we have four games against Tri-Nations teams and we play Australia twice; they are the first game of our international season and the last game.
“We’re under no illusions as to the size of the task that we’re up against and we know the difficulties and the challenges that we are up against. Ireland have played Australia 10 times in the professional era and only won two of them.
“Ireland v Australia matches have always been good clashes and we are looking forward to it.’
“Our job is to put in the best performance we can against Australia. That is definitely the priority. Have we been working on plans towards the World Cup in 2011? We certainly have, towards fixtures and planning. That is what we have been doing.
“It is a time to park that now and get ready for this because you want to get you want to build momentum and you want to build confidence.
“Working towards the next World Cup, given that Australia are in our group, means that we should concentrate 100% on playing Australia.”
Ireland’s Australian-born backs coach, Alan Gaffney said there are clear signs that the Wallabies are developing into a top class team.
Former Munster coach Gaffney, who also spent time as back coach to the Wallabies said: “I think Australia are very close to being a very good side. I don’t think they are too far away at the present time.
“There are areas of their great, I am sure, they would like to improve on. But across the board now, I think they are a very good side.
“They have a good set-piece generally. Their scrum is very competitive now where there were years in the past when it hadn’t been. And they have a very good backline.
“They have the makings of a very good team.”
Meanwhile, Munster’s new South African prop Wian du Preez has been named on the Springboks’ replacements’ bench for their Test match with France in Toulouse this Friday night (7.45pm).
Du Preez, who is due to join up with Munster squad in time for the December 5 Magners League tie with the Ospreys, is the only uncapped player included in the Springboks’ 22 for the Test match with France at the Stade Municipal.
Munster confirmed this week that Cheetahs loosehead prop du Preez will join the Magners League champions on a short term contract once his commitments with the Springboks current tour of Europe is complete later this month.
With Marcus Horan and Dave Ryan ruled out through illness and injury respectively until after Christmas, and Darragh Hurley also on the injured list, Munster confirmed that the 27-year-old du Preez would be joining the squad until the end of January.
Du Preez was originally omitted from the Springboks squad for the current tour, which ends with a Test match against ireland at Croke Park on Saturday, November 28.
However, he was called up to Peter de Villiers squad over the weekend along with Cheetahs team-mate Adriaan Strauss.
Subject to obtaining clearance from his home Union, obtaining a work permit and passing the normal medical procedures, du Preez will join up with the squad in time for the Ospreys game which takes place the week before Munster resume their Heineken Cup campaign against Perpignan at Thomond Park on Friday, December 11.

Colm Kinsella

Sean’s star is on the rise

ON Saturday night the Australian under-20 soccer team completed their World Cup campaign in Egypt when they lost 3-1 against Brazil - most Limerick people may not realise however that one of their own featured for the Socceroos.
Although he did not travel with the senior squad for the friendly against the Republic of Ireland at Thomond Park in August Sean Rooney, whose father is originally from Limerick, represents one of the rising stars down under.
Sean Rooney’s father John, originally from the Hyde Road, played for Hyde Rangers before emigrating to Sydney in the 1970s.
Unfortunately John Rooney passed away before he could see his son grow into the international star he has become. Sean’s uncle Harry, who still lives in Limerick, says that Sean is very much aware of his roots: “Oh, we are all very proud of Sean. Although he is playing for Australia we feel he is representing Ireland out there in Egypt and if his father John was still alive he would be so proud of his son.
“Every time Sean plays a game our thoughts are with him, we’re all very proud of what he has achieved.”
During the Socceroos under-20 World Cup campaign 19-year-old Sean Rooney was introduced as a substitute against the Czech Republic (lost 1-2), started against Costa Rica (lost 0-3) and was also introduced as a second half substitute against Brazil on Saturday evening.
Sean Rooney, who signed for the Newcastle Jets in the A-League earlier this year from the Blacktown City Demons, has been grabbing all the headlines of late in Australian soccer.
Sean Rooney, who was top scorer in the Australian youths league last year, was the toast of Newcastle last May when his last-gasp goal (94th minute) against Beijing Guoan helped propel the Jets towards the knock-out stages of the Asian Champions League.
Although the Newcastle Jets were then knocked out by Korean club the Pohang Steelers, who featured Brazil’s Denilson, Rooney’s performances thus far in the A-League have earned the young striker international attention - Four Four Two rate Rooney as “a quality prospect” while he also enjoyed a trial at West Ham United earlier this year.
The promising striker is only contracted until the end of the Newcastle Jets’ current ACL campaign, but club coach Gary van Egmond revealed recently that he is more than eager for Rooney to sign a new contract with the club.
Although Limerick FC lost 2-0 to the Wexford Youths on Friday night the Limerick FC under-20s have all but sealed their place in the knock-out phase of the competition following their 2-0 win over Waterford United at the Pike Field on Sunday afternoon - Jason Hughes and David Nguki plundered the goals which earned the Super Blues all three points.
Limerick FC will complete their group phase campaign against Cork City (away) on Sunday, October 18 while the quarter-finals have been provisionally fixed for Sunday, October 25.
Meanwhile Limerick FC host Kildare County this Friday night in Jackman Park - kick-off for that league game is at 7.45pm.

Brian McDonnell

Irish squad prepare for tantalising Thomond clash

IRISH soccer manager Giovanni Trapattoni put his players through their paces at St. Michael’s FC in Tipperary Town this morning as the countdown to Wednesday’s friendly against Australia at Thomond Park begins in earnest.
Trapattoni had just 14 players at his disposal for yesterday’s first squad session which was watched by 1,500 enthusiastic fans, but the size of the squad was bolstered by the overnight arrival of several players who had been in club action cross-channel.
Among those who were set to join up with the squad for today’s training session at Cooke Park were Manchester United star John O’Shea, the Manchester City duo of Shay Given and Richard Dunne as well as Glasgow Celtic’s Aiden McGeady and Spurs striker Robbie Keane.
Damien Duff, Kevin Doyle and Stephen Hunt were among some of the bigger names who trained with an unusually lean Irish squad in Tipperary Town yesterday. Doyle, who was introduced as a substitute, but missed a penalty for Wolves in a friendly against Real Valladolid on Saturday, has only recently recovered from a hernia operation.
Wolves manager Mick McCarthy has said that he hopes the striker gets 45 minutes for Ireland on Wednesday and Irish boss Trapattoni is set to start Doyle in attack.
The friendly clash with Australia has a 7.30pm kick-off time and will be televised live on Sky Sports.
An attendance of 20,000 is expected for the fixture.
Tickets are still available for the friendly from Gleeson Sport Scene, Upper William Street in Limerick city, from Thomond Park and from Ticketmaster.
Wednesday night’s game in Limerick is the first time the Republic of Ireland have played a full international outside of Dublin since 1985.
A number of special events have been organized locally to co-incide with the big game.
Geraldines AFC will celebrate the opening of their new dressing room facilities tomorrow at 4pm.
On Wednesday an FAI Football Fun for All Day will be hosted at Shelbourne Park between 4pm and 7pm.
The fact that the Irish squad is based in Tipperary this week, and playing a game at nearby Thomond Park, makes it a very special occasion for squad member Shane Long.
Tipperary man Long admits he would love to become a regular starter in Trappatoni’s Irish side.
“The match against Australia is still an opportunity to make an impact, a chance for the so-called substitute players to shine,’’ Shane Long said.
“And with the possibility of qualifying for the World Cup finals there, every player in the squad wants to take that chance.”
The Irish squad will complete their preparations for the clash with the Socceroos by having a light work-out at Thomond Park at tea-time tomorrow.
The Republic of Ireland’s opponents Australia held a squad session in Gannon Park, Malahide today. They will get their chance to have a run out at Thomond Park tomorrow afternoon.
Meanwhile the FAI is to hold a workshop in Limerick on Wednesday entitled ‘Developing Football Developing Communities’. The FAI is using the senior international friendly against Australia to hold the event in the Kilmurry Lodge, Limerick.
The half-day national workshop will bring together county and city councils, RAPID area representatives, Local Sports Partnerships and Garda community liaison representatives to discuss the many community based social programmes being implemented in partnership with the FAI.

COLM KINSELLA

Limerick’s feast of football

THE Republic of Ireland’s friendly with Australia on Wednesday forms the centrepiece of four days of soccer activity in Limerick next week.
The Republic of Ireland play their first full international outside of Dublin since 1985 when Giovanni Trapattoni’s team face the Socceroos at Thomond Park on August 12 (kick-off is at 7.30pm).


A feast of football is planned for Limerick beginning on Sunday next when the FAI Under-12 Inter-League Futsal Tournament will be staged at the University of Limerick, beginning at 3pm.
On Monday evening, at the Irish squad’s team base in Tipperary Town, a civic reception will be held to honour Irish manager, Giovanni Trapattoni. On Tuesday, the focus switches back to Limerick when Geraldines AFC will celebrate the opening of their new dressing room facilities at 4pm.
On big-match day, Wednesday, August 12, an FAI Football Fun for All Day will be hosted at Shelbourne Park between 4pm and 7pm. This event will include face painting, soccer skills, crossbar challenge, obstacle course, penalty shootout target and the speed gun challenge.
The Republic of Ireland team will train at St. Michael’s FC’s Cooke Park, Tipperary Town on both Sunday and Monday. Tickets to the training session have already been distributed to members of the public. Meanwhile Irish team manager, Trapattoni has urged his team to produce a performance befitting the fabulous Thomond Park arena.
Not since 1985 when Flower Lodge in Cork hosted the friendly against Spain has a home International being staged outside of Dublin. Trapattoni said: “It will be important to win and produce a great performance in this famous stadium. Hopefully, the stadium will be full of fans.
“This will not be an easy game against Australia, but I am confident. It is important that can get the players together so we see their condition ahead of the World Cup qualifier against Cyprus game in September.
“I hope we can get a good result. It helps for the future and it helps the players believe that qualification for the World Cup is possible.”
The Irish squad will have a run-out at Thomond Park at teatime on Tuesday evening next.
Australia head coach, Pim Verbeek has selected a 22-player squad for the upcoming international, including several players who will be well known to fans of the Premier League - Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer and Everton playmaker Tim Cahill make the squad along with Lucas Neill, Harry Kewell and Scott McDonald.

Australia: Mark Schwarzer, Ante Covic; Patrick Kisnorbo, Lucas Neill, Rhys Williams, Jade North, Matthew Spiranovic, Adrian Madaschi, Luke Wilkshire; Mark Bresciano, James Holland, Dario Vidosic, Tim Cahill, Nick Carle, Aaron Mooy, Harry Kewell, Oliver Bozanic, David Carney, Mile Jedinak; Scott McDonald, Brett Holman, Nikita Rukavytsya.

Colm Kinsella

FAI announce details of tickets for Thomond clash

ON Friday afternoon last (June 19) the FAI announced that tickets for the Republic of Ireland’s friendly against Australia in Thomond Park on August 12 will go on sale from Wednesday, June 24 - tickets will be made available to the general public on ticketmaster.ie and will be sold in 18 outlets throughout Munster and Connacht while tickets in Limerick city are available from Gleeson Sports Scene on Upper William Street. Tickets for the game will also be available to buy in Record Rack in Ennis and at Roxy Records in Shannon.
Tickets for this the eagerly-awaited clash will be available for €25 (South terrace), €35 (East and West terrace) and €55 (East and West stands) - 2,000 €7 tickets will also be distributed through schoolboy and schoolgirl clubs throughout the country in July.
Mere weeks ago Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni visited Gleeson Sports Scene, along with FAI CEO John Delaney, to launch 1,000 pre-release tickets for the match against the Socceroos on Wednesday, August 12 (kick-off 7.30pm).
“I am looking forward to returning to Limerick in August to play Australia,” Trapattoni told Leader Sport.
“The game will be a good opportunity to prepare for the important World Cup qualifier against Cyprus on September 5. I hope it will give everyone in the mid-west an opportunity to get behind the team against a highly-rated Australian side. Limerick is a very nice place.
“It’s important to us to play well, to show people what our football is about and to get more kids in the region playing football. We believe that the facilities are there, the stadium is really good and we believe that the fans will come to the stadium for this occasion. This will give the fans an opportunity to watch us. Until now they have only been able to see us on television and we wanted to change that. We hope people will come and join us in Thomond Park.”
Trapattoni made an appearance in Limerick following the Republic of Ireland’s one-all draw in Sofia on Saturday night - a result which should at the very least secure a World Cup play-off spot for Ireland while it also ended Bulgaria’s qualification hopes.
The Republic now trail group leaders Italy by a point while the Italians hold a game in hand over Ireland. Ireland’s next competitive fixture is against away to Cyprus on Sept. 5 and Giovanni Trapattoni will use the game against Australia at Thomond Park as a warm-up for that critical encounter.
The Republic will play a second international friendly against South Africa on Tuesday,
September 8 in Thomond Park before they complete their qualifying campaign against Italy and Montenegro.
Pim Verbeek’s Australian side became the second team, mere hours after Japan, to qualify for the World Cup on Saturday following their nil-all draw away to Qatar - the Australians remain unbeaten in their 2010 campaign and should feature players like Scott McDonald (Celtic), Harry Kewell (Galatasaray) and Tim Cahill (Everton) for their visit to Limerick. The game against Australia respresents the first time the Irish senior team has ever played in Limerick and will be the first meeting of the sides since 2003 when the Irish beat the Socceroos 2-1 at Lansdowne Road.

BRIAN MCDONNELL

Trapattoni relishes Limerick visit

Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni is eagerly-looking forward to his side’s clash with Australia in Thomond Park.
On Sunday afternoon Giovanni Trapattoni, along with FAI CEO John Delaney, visited Gleeson Sports Scene in Limerick city to launch 1,000 pre-release tickets for the match against the Socceroos on Wednesday, August 12 (kick-off 7.30pm).
“I am looking forward to returning to Limerick in August to play Australia,” Giovanni Trapattoni told Leader Sport.
“The game will be a good opportunity to prepare for the important World Cup qualifier against Cyprus on September 5.
“I hope it will give everyone in the mid-west an opportunity to get behind the team against a highly-rated Australian side. Limerick is a very nice place. It’s important to us to play well, to show people what our football is about and to get more kids in the region playing football.
“We believe that the facilities are there, the stadium is really good and we believe that the fans will come to the stadium for this occasion.
“This will give the fans an opportunity to watch us. Until now they have only been able to see us on television and we wanted to change that.
“We hope people will come and join us in Thomond Park.”
Trapattoni made an appearance in Limerick following the Republic of Ireland’s one-all draw in Sofia on Saturday night - a result which should at the very least secure a World Cup play-off spot for Ireland while it also ended Bulgaria’s qualification hopes.
The Republic now trail group leaders Italy by a point while the Italians hold a game in hand over Ireland.
Ireland’s next competitive fixture is against away to Cyprus on Sept. 5 and Giovanni Trapattoni will use the game against Australia at Thomond Park as a warm-up for that critical encounter. The Republic will play a second international friendly against South Africa on Tuesday, September 8 in Thomond Park before they complete their qualifying campaign against Italy and Montenegro.
Pim Verbeek’s Australian side became the second team, mere hours after Japan, to qualify for the World Cup on Saturday following their nil-all draw away to Qatar - the Australians remain unbeaten in their 2010 campaign and should feature players like Scott McDonald (Celtic), Harry Kewell (Galatasaray) and Tim Cahill (Everton) for their visit to Limerick. The game against Australia respresents the first time the Irish senior team has ever played in Limerick and will be the first meeting of the sides since 2003 when the Irish beat the Socceroos 2-1 at Lansdowne Road.
The Republic of Ireland have clashed with South Africa on one previous occasion - nine years ago (2000) Ireland beat the Bafana Bafana in New Jersey. South Africa are coached by Brazil’s Joel Santana, will feature players like Blackburn’s Benni McCarthy and as hosts of the 2010 World Cup will become the African nation to host the World Cup.
FAI CEO John Delaney is confident that the national association can sell out both games at Thomond Park: “The idea of coming down here is to promote the games in the mid-west. We’ve had a huge reaction to them. The reaction to the games has been very, very strong. I think we’ll have a full house for both games.
“On the back of the result against Bulgaria there is momentum there. You can feel it everywhere you go. There’s a positive vibe there now.


“The game against South Africa in September will be more difficult to sell. Everyone will want to be at the first game against Australia.
“But I think, if Giovanni introduces new players to the team for the game against South Africa, people will be interested in seeing those new players play. The squad is evolving and after a competitive game against Cyprus Giovanni will be trying out players against South Africa, but I still expect that to be an exciting game. This is a great opportunity for the fans to see international football in Limerick and it should be a great occasion.”
To mark Giovanni Trapattoni’s visit to Limerick the FAI have launched 1,000 €25 pre-release tickets which will be available exclusively from Gleeson Sports Scene (25 upper William Street, Limerick) from Monday, June 8 - these pre-release tickets are limited and are expected to sell quickly.
Tickets will go on public sale at the end of June through ticketmaster.ie, through Gleeson Sports Scene in Limerick city and through a selection of ticketmaster outlets in the Munster region.
Details of these outlets will be published shortly on fai.ie. Tickets will be made available at €25 (North and South terrace), €35 (East and West terrace) and €55 (East and West stands) while 2,000 €7 tickets will be made available for schoolboy and schoolgirl clubs throughout the country.

Brian McDonnell

FAI address schoolboy controversy

PETER Sherard, the FAI Director of Communications, has insisted that an allocation of schoolboy tickets will be made available for the Republic of Ireland's upcoming international friendlies at Thomond Park.
The Republic will face Australia on Wednesday, August 12 and South Africa on Tuesday, September 8.
Although FAI CEO John Delaney had announced that schoolboy tickets would be made available at a cost of €7 for both those games Limerick clubs had feared that the national association would not honour that commitment.


The controversy erupted when the FAI circulated ticket order forms to the schoolboy leagues which made no reference to a provision for schoolboy applications in April - the prices quoted on that order form for both international friendlies were: €55 (stand), €35 (terrace) and €25 (terrace).
Speaking to Leader Sport the FAI's Director of Communications Peter Sherard described the suggestion that schoolboy tickets would not be made available for both games at Thomond Park as "nonsense".
Indeed Sherard insists that the FAI had budgeted for 2,000 schoolboy tickets in February and that each schoolboy league will be given an opportunity, six or seven weeks before the games, to apply for schoolboy tickets.
"Six of seven weeks before the games in Thomond Park," Peter Sherard explained, "application forms will be forwarded to the schoolboy league secretaries.
"Two thousand tickets are available and always have been available for the games.
"Both games will be tremendous occasions and are something everyone in Limerick should be looking forward to."
Although the secretary of the District Schoolboy League, Gerry McCormack, has welcomed Peter Sherard's comments on the matter he remains annoyed by the manner in which the schoolboy ticket allocation has been handled by the FAI.
"They are saying now that there are and always have been schoolboy tickets available for both international matches at Thomond Park," Gerry McCormack told Leader Sport, "but if that's the case why are the ticket office saying there are no schoolboy tickets available?
"If that is the case why did the FAI send out order forms to the schoolboy leagues which made no reference at all to schoolboy tickets?"
On receipt on an order form for tickets in April, an order form which had to be completed and returned to the FAI by the end of April, Gerry McCormack contacted the FAI ticket office to enquire about the availability of schoolboy tickets.
The individual Gerry McCormack spoke to said that no schoolboy tickets would go on sale for the clashes with Australia and South Africa in Thomond Park.
"After an article appeared in a national paper (the Irish Mail highlighted the issue)," added Mr. McCormack, "I was contacted by an FAI official about the matter.
"He insisted that there would be 2,000 tickets available and that those tickets were always available for the games in Thomond Park, but when I asked him when those tickets would be available and how we apply for them he wasn't able to answer me. The FAI only reacted when something appeared in the national press. Several clubs have been in contact with me and to say they are disappointed with the situation would be an understatement. I phoned the ticket office myself and they said there were no tickets available. The FAI say that was a mistake, but they must correct that mistake."
It is hoped that the confusion surrounding this issue will be cleared up as soon as possible. The provision of schoolboy tickets for international games has been a long-standing tradition associated with Irish soccer while two high profile international friendlies in Thomond Park provide administrators of the game in Limerick with an opportunity to promote the game in the mid-west.
Although the FAI had discussed basing their preparations for both games at UL the team will train at St. Michael's FC (Tipperary Town) and stay at the Ballykisteen Hotel & Golf Resort.
More event information will be made available closer to the match dates on both fai.ie and thomondpark.ie.

Brian McDonnell

'It’s a real honour for us to play an international match in what is now a fabulous stadium'

THE visit of Australia to Thomond Park on August 12 next could be the first of three soccer internationals to be staged in Limerick inside the next 12 months.
Speaking in the home of Munster rugby yesterday, where he confirmed this summer’s international soccer friendly, John Delaney, Chief Executive Officer of the Football Association of Ireland, said that further dates were available for soccer internationals in Limerick.
“It’s one of a couple of internationals that we would like to play over a course of time,” Delaney told Leader Sport when announcing the visit of the Socceroos.
“There are some dates that we can look at and with dates available we will now look for opposition.
“We will look at other dates - there could be one in September and one in the New Year,” said the FAI’s CEO.
September 9 is a possible date for the second of three possible matches.


“We are away to Cyprus (September 5) and then there is a Wednesday that is free to us - we will talk to other opposition and Giovanni (Trapattoni),” explained Delaney.
“We had opportunities to play friendlies away in August, but when the possibility of playing in Thomond Park became available - the idea of coming here was something that you couldn’d but do,” explained Delaney.
“I am very happy to have reached this agreement with Thomond Park Stadium. I thank the stadium’s management and board for their foresight in opening up Thomond Park to other sports which will enable us to bring senior international football to Limerick for the first time. Thomond Park is a great sporting venue and we look forward to an exciting game against Australia in August.”
Delaney said that he expects a capacity crowd of 26,000.
“When you have football stars like Robbie Keane, Damien Duff, Richard Dunne, Shay Given and Giovanni Trapattoni coming down as manager with Tardelli and Liam Brady, it’s a huge attraction. When it was first mooted about a month ago that there was the possibility of a game being played here, the reaction was huge - we were rang every day to know when it was on and who we were playing,” outlined Delaney.
Pim Verbeek’s Australian side is currently ranked 27th in the FIFA world rankings, two places above the Republic of Ireland.
The Socceroos are likely to include the likes of Scott McDonald (Celtic), Harry Kewell (Galatasaray) and Tim Cahill (Everton).
“This completes the hat-trick - Australia have played here in rugby, they are coming for the International Rules in October and now the soccer,” said Delaney, who was visiting Thomond Park for the first time since its re-development.
“It’s a real honour for us to play an international match in what is now a fabulous stadium,” he said.
The FAI are set to meet with the University of Limerick regarding the possibility of using the university facilities for training purposes.
“I met Dave Mahedy at the rugby match on Saturday and I am sure that he would love us to be out there - we play our Kennedy Cup out there every year. It would be the ideal venue for the players to train.
“We haven’t spoken to any hotels yet, but with the Castletroy Park now open, something like that would work very well,” said the CEO.
John Delaney also confirmed that Thomond Park could be used if the FAI and the IFA proceed with proposals to co-host the 2013 European under-21 championships.
“We have spoken to the IFA on a number of occasions and spoke with them yesterday (Sunday) about co-hosting a European under-21 tournament together. That has become a big tournament and it is something that we had agreed to co-bid before with the IFA, but they couldn’t meet stadium criteria,” explained Delaney.
“It is now a possibility with Thomond, the Aviva Stadium and Tallaght, which will have 6,200 seats by June,” he outlined.
The IFA would offer Windsor Park or a re-developed Brandywell.

Jerome O'Connell

Republic of Ireland set to face Australia's Socceroos at Thomond Park

THOMOND Park have confirmed this morning that the Republic of Ireland will face Australia at the Limerick venue on August 12.
The FAI and Thomond Park Stadium today announced that they have reached an agreement to hold a soccer game for the first time in the re-developed Limerick stadium.
The game will be the first ever senior international fixture to be played by the Boys in Green in Limerick and will give the large number of football fans in the region a rare opportunity to see a senior international match in the mid-west.
Pim Verbeek’s Australian side is currently ranked 27th in the FIFA world rankings, two places above Ireland and includes many players well known to Irish football fans including Scott McDonald (Celtic), Harry Kewell (Galatasaray) and Tim Cahill (Everton).

The friendly will provide Ireland with an opportunity to prepare for their World Cup qualifier against Cyprus on September 5.
Ticket and event information will be made available closer to the match date on both www.fai.ie and www.thomondpark.ie

Brian McDonnell