LIMERICK FC took pride of place on Sky Sports News during the Christmas holidays when the club featured on the British rolling news channel.
Following the news that the club would play their home games for 2013 at Thomond Park, the Sky cameras headed Shannonside to give Limerick fans a welcome Christmas surprise.
Limerick FC’s overseas profile was raised last August when they took on English Premier League champions Manchester City in a friendly at Thomond Park, which has international renown as the home of Munster Rugby.
John Cantwell, Thomond Park stadium director, said: “We hosted a few games for them in the past and they approached us during the summer when it looked likely that they were going to be promoted to the Premier Division. Negotiations have been ongoing since so we’re hoping to make it happen for them.”
“Munster Rugby is one of the biggest brands in the world in terms of rugby and the venue is legendary. Barcelona have intimated that they’d love to play here.”
The Sky Sports bulletin also touched upon how soccer clubs such as Limerick FC have worked to detract people’s attention away from anti-social behaviour with initiatives such as Reclaim, a programme aimed at social transformation through sport.
Limerick FC chairperson Pat O’Sullivan believes that soccer plays a huge role in creating positive headlines for the region.
“Soccer, and sport in general, is a terrific tool in my view when utilised properly to help deal with anti-social behaviour. About 7,000 children a week play soccer here in Limerick so it’s a major sport. I didn’t want the senior soccer closed down because I felt would be another negative thing for the city,” said Mr O’Sulivan.
The Sky Sports News report was two and a half minutes long and was aired on the channel on Christmas Eve.
A YouTube clip of the bulletin (see below)has received over 2,000 views within a week of it being posted online.
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