EVERY WEEK I write something about life ‘behind the scenes’ in the League of Ireland.
I’ll admit that this week it’s difficult to focus on anything other than last night’s thrilling win over Germany, and Shane Long’s excellent goal to secure the victory. Such a result will rightly dominate the minds of sports fans and sports news across the weekend.
Putting the obvious euphoria over the performance and result to one side, there’s a welcome knock-on effect to FAI finances with a minimum of an extra home play-off game guaranteed; you’d expect that the demand for tickets will be massive given the atmosphere at the Aviva Stadium last night.
Of course, there’s now a strong chance of qualification for next year’s European Championship, even a chance of qualifying directly which would mean a massive boost to the Association coffers.
Increased money in the FAI coffers should mean increased money for the domestic game, including the League of Ireland, but there are other important avenues of financial support for our league’s clubs and one of them – Sports Capital grants – were announced yesterday and were the source of further good news.
Five League of Ireland led projects will benefit to the tune of nearly €600,000. It brings grant aid for League of Ireland infrastructure projects to approximately €1,000,000 over the past twelve months.
Advertisement
With infrastructure and facility development one of the key issues – and potential solutions – for our league, the resurrection of the Sports Capital Grants programme last year and the relative success of League of Ireland clubs in gaining funds since is a much needed positive.
Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Athlone Town FC announced plans earlier this year to expand their base at Lissywollen into surrounding council owned land – effectively waste ground around the stadium.
The adjacent land will support at least two additional full-size pitches, one of them Astro-turf which will be used to expand the club’s youth development as well as bringing in additional income through facility rental.
The support of the council was already secured, now the €200,000 the club received yesterday will go a long way towards the costs involved.
Limerick FC will be focused on tonight’s game in Galway as they battle to retain their Premier Division status, but off the field the club is €200,000 better off this morning.
Their grant will allow them to accelerate their plans for the Bruff campus in Co Limerick, bought early last year. The 24-acre site is a rare project in League of Ireland terms as it’s being staged as a multi-sport and community facility, which was sure to have helped them draw down the maximum allocation.
Shamrock Rovers were not direct recipients of the €150,000 awarded to the Roadstone group social club, but those funds will directly benefit the youth development centre being developed at the club, supported by Shamrock Rovers FC.
The facility already houses Shamrock Rovers academy training from U13 through U16 players. Yesterday, SRFC director and Labour Councillor Martina Genockey tweeted yesterday to confirm the good news, calling it an “exciting day for Shamrock Rovers”, clarifying that the grant would support a new Youth Development centre.
St. Patrick’s Athletic and newly-promoted Wexford Youths FC received €15,500 and €19,000 respectively for smaller scale projects bringing yesterday’s total to €584,500.
Wexford Youths secured promotion to the Premier Division this season. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
This time last year, then Minister of state for Tourism and Sport Michael Ring granted the FAI €1.2 million in funding for six footballing projects across the country, which included €200,000 each towards upgrade works in Eamon Deacy park and at Turner’s Cross; the latter for the redevelopment of the St Anne’s – away – end of the ground, to incorporate a new toilet block and corporate facilities.
Of course, all this excludes the €6,000,000 planned Centre of Excellence for Munster that the FAI announced in partnership with Cork City FC over the summer.
It’s been a consistent positive this year, and like last night’s result, should be widely celebrated.
Hopefully those projects benefiting from the Sports Capital Grants over the past 12 months will help produce future stars who will match last night’s performance consistently over decades to come.
'New funding will help produce future stars capable of performances like last night for decades'
EVERY WEEK I write something about life ‘behind the scenes’ in the League of Ireland.
I’ll admit that this week it’s difficult to focus on anything other than last night’s thrilling win over Germany, and Shane Long’s excellent goal to secure the victory. Such a result will rightly dominate the minds of sports fans and sports news across the weekend.
Putting the obvious euphoria over the performance and result to one side, there’s a welcome knock-on effect to FAI finances with a minimum of an extra home play-off game guaranteed; you’d expect that the demand for tickets will be massive given the atmosphere at the Aviva Stadium last night.
Of course, there’s now a strong chance of qualification for next year’s European Championship, even a chance of qualifying directly which would mean a massive boost to the Association coffers.
Increased money in the FAI coffers should mean increased money for the domestic game, including the League of Ireland, but there are other important avenues of financial support for our league’s clubs and one of them – Sports Capital grants – were announced yesterday and were the source of further good news.
Five League of Ireland led projects will benefit to the tune of nearly €600,000. It brings grant aid for League of Ireland infrastructure projects to approximately €1,000,000 over the past twelve months.
With infrastructure and facility development one of the key issues – and potential solutions – for our league, the resurrection of the Sports Capital Grants programme last year and the relative success of League of Ireland clubs in gaining funds since is a much needed positive.
Athlone Town FC announced plans earlier this year to expand their base at Lissywollen into surrounding council owned land – effectively waste ground around the stadium.
The adjacent land will support at least two additional full-size pitches, one of them Astro-turf which will be used to expand the club’s youth development as well as bringing in additional income through facility rental.
The support of the council was already secured, now the €200,000 the club received yesterday will go a long way towards the costs involved.
Limerick FC will be focused on tonight’s game in Galway as they battle to retain their Premier Division status, but off the field the club is €200,000 better off this morning.
Their grant will allow them to accelerate their plans for the Bruff campus in Co Limerick, bought early last year. The 24-acre site is a rare project in League of Ireland terms as it’s being staged as a multi-sport and community facility, which was sure to have helped them draw down the maximum allocation.
Shamrock Rovers were not direct recipients of the €150,000 awarded to the Roadstone group social club, but those funds will directly benefit the youth development centre being developed at the club, supported by Shamrock Rovers FC.
The facility already houses Shamrock Rovers academy training from U13 through U16 players. Yesterday, SRFC director and Labour Councillor Martina Genockey tweeted yesterday to confirm the good news, calling it an “exciting day for Shamrock Rovers”, clarifying that the grant would support a new Youth Development centre.
St. Patrick’s Athletic and newly-promoted Wexford Youths FC received €15,500 and €19,000 respectively for smaller scale projects bringing yesterday’s total to €584,500.
This time last year, then Minister of state for Tourism and Sport Michael Ring granted the FAI €1.2 million in funding for six footballing projects across the country, which included €200,000 each towards upgrade works in Eamon Deacy park and at Turner’s Cross; the latter for the redevelopment of the St Anne’s – away – end of the ground, to incorporate a new toilet block and corporate facilities.
Of course, all this excludes the €6,000,000 planned Centre of Excellence for Munster that the FAI announced in partnership with Cork City FC over the summer.
It’s been a consistent positive this year, and like last night’s result, should be widely celebrated.
Hopefully those projects benefiting from the Sports Capital Grants over the past 12 months will help produce future stars who will match last night’s performance consistently over decades to come.
This Garda car blasted ‘Put ‘Em Under Pressure’ for football fans in Limerick
‘The stupid thing of Dublin’ – How the German media reacted to last night’s humbling defeat
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
column John O'Sullivan League of Ireland LOI Opinion