FOOTBALL giants Inter Milan could be Limerick bound.
The European champions are already committed to a four match tournament at the Aviva Stadium next summer, and, according to FAI boss
John Delaney, are likely to play a second fixture, either in Cork or Limerick.
Limerick has a strong case in that Thomond Park can accommodate 26,000.
In contrast, Musgrave Park has a capacity of almost 9,000, and Turner’s Cross 8,000.
Of course a deal could be struck with the Cork County Board to make Pairc Ui Chaoimh available. However, that is seen as most unlikely.
Inter Milan are managed by former Liverpool supremo Rafael Benitez.
The Dublin tournament is a joint venture between the FAI and Endemol Sport, the international multi-media programming agency.
An as yet unnamed English Premiership club will also take part in Dublin, along with another European side and an Airtricity League selection.
Mr Delaney confirmed that Endemol were the “third party” of a third party agreement that saw the FAI veto Limerick’s hopes of bringing Barcelona to Thomond Park last July.
But he insisted that the agreement was in fact already in place at that stage and that was why Limerick were not allowed to host the Barca game.
“What we had in place was an agreement that we could not grant games in stadiums in excess of 15,000”.
The FAI have entered into a 10-year agreement with Endemol to bring top clubs to the Aviva Stadium, a deal reported to be worth over one million euro annually to the FAI.
