Crowd numbers set to soar as new season begins

WITH season ticket sales up by almost 20 per cent, more than 800,000 fans are set to attend Premier Division and First Division games in the 2023 SSE Airtricity League.

Adding in European jousts, the FAI Cup and the Women’s Premier Division, the magical one million mark could be within reach.

Down Inchicore way, St Patrick’s Athletic are braced for a 5,000 sellout for tomorrow’s Premier Division opener against FAI Cup holders Derry City, their bogey team of 2022. In 2021, the Saints came second with 62 points; last year, fourth with 61, Derry inflicting the most damage, with three wins, including a 4-0 rout at Richmond Park

‘That was men against boys. That showed us we were a good bit off it,’ recalled Saints manager Tim Clancy.

‘We lost up there in the 92nd or 93rd minute and also 1-0 at home towards the end of the season where there was very little in it.

‘I know it’s all ifs, buts and maybes but we could have finished ahead of Derry last year. Friday gives us an opportunity on the first day to go and beat the only team we didn’t beat last season.’

Clancy has his targets for the Saints.

‘(Shamrock) Rovers were the only ones to score more goals than us last season while at the far end, we can certainly keep more out. The challenge is to improve and be more consistent from start to finish.’

Clancy is backing veteran Eoin Doyle to deliver again.

‘Eoin scored 14 goals for us and only one forward scored more (Sligo’s Aidan Keena) which resulted in a move to League One. Eoin’s massive in terms of how we want to play.’

Meanwhile, the FAI are conducting an urgent review of safety certificates at all League of Ireland clubs.

It follows the Association’s probe into the collapse of seats in a stand at Limerick’s Market’s Field in the play-off fixture between Galway United and Waterford on November 4.

The report states that ‘excessive force’ was responsible for the incident, and it was not related to ‘a structural stand issue.’

While no one was hurt, the match was delayed for five minutes while Waterford fans were relocated to another part of the ground.

To help avoid the risk of any stadium mishaps, the FAI are overseeing ‘match operations workshops ahead of the 2023 League of Ireland season.’