Up to 2,000 Polish and Chinese nationals were at Dalymount Park, Dublin, last night to see their teams face each other at soccer.
Former Ireland international manager Brian Kerr, who has lent his name to a new soccer tournament for the immigrant community, welcomed the estimated 1,500 Polish and 500 Chinese supporters to the Bohemians home ground.
The game begam at 7.30pm and was played under floodlights with Polish and Chinese soccer chants filling the Dublin night. The teams drew 3-3. Last night's match was the first in a series of fixtures to be held as part of an anti-racism tournament being organised by Sport Against Racism Ireland (Sari).
The Brian Kerr Intercontinental League involves participation from 16 teams made up of members of Ireland's ethnic and minority communities as well as a small number of indigenous players.
Other teams entered include selections from: Somalia, Algeria, Angola-Zimbabwe, Ireland, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Nigeria and a composite team made up of members of the Roma and Traveller communities.
Sari founder member Frank Buckley said the tournament would be staged over the next 10 weeks, primarily in public parks in Dublin. Mr Kerr was impressed by the size of the crowd. "It's more than there's been at a league of Ireland game this season," he laughed.
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