SOCCER NEWS:LIMERICK WILL host its first ever senior international game in August when Ireland take on Australia at the revamped Thomond Park, it was announced yesterday. The game will be the first staged by the FAI outside of Dublin since the visit of Spain to Flower Lodge (now Páirc Uí Rinn) in 1985.

The match, on August 12th, will give Giovanni Trapattoni an opportunity to work with his squad for the first time after the summer break to prepare them for the resumption of the World Cup qualifying campaign against Cyprus on September 5th.

Australia, ranked two places above the Republic in the world rankings and firmly on course for a place at next year’s World Cup finals, should provide a stern challenge for the Italian manager and his men who will be back in Croke Park in October for the visits of Italy and Montenegro.

Given the occasion and with the visitors set to include a core of English players well known to Irish football supporters, they should also comfortably sell out Thomond’s 26,000 seats.

On their last visit here, back in 2003, the Australians lost 2-1 but they have looked particularly strong during the current campaign under Dutch coach Pim Verbeek. Brett Emerton’s goals have played a major part in getting the team into a commanding position ahead of Japan in Group One of the Asian qualifying tournament, while the likes of Tim Cahill, Harry Kewell and Celtic’s Scott McDonald will all be in with a strong chance of featuring in Limerick if fit and available.

The confirmation that agreement has been reached over the staging of international football matches at Thomond Park, meanwhile, is good news for the association whose scope for staging home games during the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road has been limited because of restrictions on the availability of Croke Park.

The GAA stadium has also lacked atmosphere for some of Ireland’s friendly matches, with even crowds of more than 40,000, highly respectable for a non-competitive international soccer match, leaving the place with a half-full feel about it.

FAI chief executive John Delaney has repeatedly said he has been happy with all aspects of the Croke Park tenancy but he was enthusiastic about yesterday’s announcement, hailing the stadium management’s “foresight” in opening the place up to other sports and describing the ground as “a great sporting stadium”.

Thomond Park stadium director John Cantwell said the plan had always been to host such games at the ground. “It has always been our objective in the redevelopment of the stadium to work with leading sports bodies to attract major sports events to the city,” he said.

“It is a great boost for Limerick and the many football and sports fans throughout the region who now have opportunity to watch international football on their doorstep.”

Delaney has already acknowledged there may well be other games played at the venue and rumour has it there will be a second the following month, with Ireland having a free date on September 9th, which could well be used by the association to generate further income.

Limerick FC have also held talks about staging exhibition games at Thomond and look certain to host at least one (against Sunderland) over the summer.

Talks with a number of other clubs are on hold pending the conclusion of the league season and clarification of possible European obligations for next season.

The club’s hopes of getting back to the Markets Field over the coming year took a small but significant step forward yesterday when members of the city’s council reacted positively to a joint presentation by the FAI and Bord na gCon.

It was agreed a working group be established to explore how the redevelopment might be funded and the new committee could start work as early as next week .

“All 12 of the councillors seemed genuinely enthusiastic about what was on the table,” said Limerick FC chief executive Andrew Mawhinney. “It was a good meeting and the proposal drawn up by Gilroy McMahon (the architects behind Croke Park) was pretty impressive.”

After a decent weekend for Trapattoni – Darron Gibson got 90 minutes at Wembley while both Keith Andrews and Glenn Whelan scored important goals for their clubs – there was another boost last night with the announcement that Anthony Stokes, who had drifted to the margins at Sunderland and out of the Ireland squad this season has gone on loan to Crystal Palace.

The 20-year-old featured in 11 Championship games while on loan with Sheffield United and should get further opportunities to play now at Selhurst Park.

IRELAND'S FORTHCOMING World Cup qualifier against Bulgaria on Saturday, March 28th will kick-off at 7.45 at Croke Park.

The late start has been prompted by the broadcast rights holders, RTÉ and Sky, with the timing of England's friendly against Slovakia (kick-off 5.15) likely to have played a major part in the latter's thinking.