Galway United are ready for the demands of top flight football having been accepted into the new Premier Division, chairman John Fallon said last night.

Both Galway and Shamrock Rovers were the two biggest benefactors of the Independent Assessment Group's recommendations for the new FAI-run league following months of consultation and deliberation with clubs.

That invitation to play top-flight football is a "ringing endorsement of the club's policy," Fallon said.

"It is a very proud day for everyone involved in the club and a superb vote of confidence in the policy adopted by Galway United two years ago to develop a self-sustaining club.

"We have just come to the end of year two in a five year plan so, in many ways, the real hard work has really just begun.

"But we are ready for the task," he added," and are looking forward to taking our place as domestic soccer in this country moves to a new dimension."

With his hand strengthened considerably by today's news, Galway United team manager Tony Cousins is expected to announce the first of several new signings on Thursday.

Shamrock Rovers chairman Jonathan Roche is relishing the task now awaiting his club. As he points out, it was this time 12 months ago that Rovers were preparing for life in the First Division have suffered relegation in a play-off.

"I'm just glad we're not preparing for the First Division again next season," he said last night, adding that his club were now receiving their just rewards for winning the First Division title last month.

"I wasn't worried about the announcement all day until Galway got put into the Premier. That's when the brain started ticking over, thinking what might be. It was a nervous 10 minutes but as it turned out we finished ahead of a good few clubs and I'm delighted.

"But we must realise we've a young team who don't know the premier division so it's all about consolidation next year and seeing how we get on."

The club will, according to Roche, work of the same economic principles of the season just gone, whereby the club "will spend as much as possible without spending more than we can afford to."

He conceded it's unlikely Rovers will have the resources to challenge the Shelbournes, Derrys and Corks of the league but feels Rovers will be well capable of holding their own.

"I thought today was hard going on the clubs that got bad news," he added.

"I know had it been me disappointed I would have been devastated. I cant imagine how Waterford and Dundalk feel right now, I do feel sorry for them. But, at the end of the day, everybody signed up for it. But in saying that it's still very tough on them."