National League: Shamrock Rovers are back on course to have a home of their own, before the 20th anniversary of the club's last game at Glenmalure Park, after members of South Dublin County Council yesterday reversed their earlier decision to adapt the plans for its stadium in Tallaght so that the facility could also host Gaelic games.
The move follows clear signals from the Minister for Arts, Tourism and Sport, John O'Donoghue, that he viewed the development of a purely soccer stadium as preferable and that he would not be inclined to make the required funding available if this was not the course pursued.
Reacting to the decision, Rovers chairman, Jonathon Roche, thanked the minister for the position he had taken and for his on-going support for the project.
He also expressed gratitude to everyone at SDCC who had helped to get the often troubled project back on track.
"It's exciting news," he said, "and it means we can continue our on-going plan of transforming Rovers into a community-based football club while bringing the Hoops back to the southside of Dublin."
The club could be into the ground by the end of the coming season, although March 2007, just a month short of that 20th anniversary, looks more likely.
The club will, meanwhile, kick off what it hopes will be its last season on the road with a home game against another fallen giant, Dundalk.
In the Premier Division, champions Cork City host newly promoted Dublin City in their opening game, while Derry are at home to UCD and Shelbourne visit Bray.
The fixture list agreed last night is technically a provisional one as Longford Town must secure a Premier Division license before it can be finalised.
However, assuming the club is successful, they will open their campaign against first division champions Sligo Rovers at Flancare Park on March 11th.
Cork's biggest tests of the first round of games come in mid May with Damien Richardson's side scheduled to play Shelbourne at home on May 12th and Derry City away a week later.
The FAI Cup kicks off in earnest over the last weekend of May when the second round will be played while the final has been pencilled in for December 3rd.
Republic of Ireland manager Steve Staunton, who is due to name his first squad on Thursday morning, will be at the opening match of the Madeira under-21 international tournament today in order to see Don Givens' Irish side take on the hosts.
Ireland won the event 12 months ago and could do with another strong performance after what has been a miserable year since. Givens has lost 12 of the 20-strong squad he named last month due to injury or club commitments - Manchester City's Stephen Ireland was the latest addition to the list of withdrawals yesterday with Waterford United's Stephen Grant drafted in as a replacement.
Givens has, however, had to draft in replacements from wherever he could find them and the games against Finland tomorrow and Portugal on Friday are likely to prove extremely difficult.
Bray's former under-21 international Eamon Zayed, meanwhile, has turned down the opportunity to join Drogheda United.
The two clubs had agreed a fee for the prolific striker, but United have said that the striker intends to return to full-time education rather than pursue a full-time career in football at this point and the club has, therefore, decided not to pursue its interest.
NATIONAL LEAGUE OPENING FIXTURES
Premier Division
March 10th: Bohemians v Drogheda Utd, Bray Wanderers v Shelbourne, Cork City v Dublin City, Derry City v UCD, St Patrick's Athletic v Waterford Utd. March 11th: Longford Town v Sligo Rovers.
First Division
March 10th: Limerick v Kildare City, Monaghan Utd v Galway Utd, Shamrock Rovers v Dundalk. March 11th: Cobh Ramblers v Kilkenny City, Finn Harps v Athlone Town.
[ The full list of fixtures for the season are available on www.ireland.com ]
IRELAND UNDER-21 REVISED SQUAD (for Madeira Tournament): Quigley (UCD), Keane (Luton Town), Hand (Huddersfield Town), O'Dea (Celtic), Keogh (Bristol City), Dicker (UCD), O'Donovan (Cork City), Timlin (Fulham), O'Brien (Newcastle Utd), O'Connor (Wolves), Deans (Waterford Utd), Stokes (Arsenal), Grant (Waterford Utd), Randolph (Charlton Athl), O'Carroll (Celtic), Tyrrell (Waterford Utd), Hayes (Reading), Ward (Bohemians), Keogh (Scunthorpe).
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