Height of Munster support: a giant jersey to floor French

MUNSTER rugby fans are renowned for going to great lengths to support their team, — but now they’re going to great heights too — 72m to be exact.

Construction workers based on the site of Ireland’s tallest building, the 17-storey Elysian Tower in Cork, draped a giant Munster jersey from the top floor of the soaring structure yesterday.

The jersey covers an entire floor of the building’s northern facade and can be seen up to 4.8km away.

It is one of the latest public displays of “red fever”, which is sweeping the province ahead of Saturday’s crunch Heineken Cup final against Toulouse in Cardiff.

Giant banners emblazoned with the words “Impossible to Lose” have been erected on flyovers on the city’s South Link Road.

Charleville has also been bedecked with banners.

Munster Supporter’s Club spokesman Glenn Flanagan said Limerick has turned red with flags and bunting flying from almost every business in the city.

He said the club is encouraging businesses and schools to “paint the province red” on Friday.

The club wants businesses to allow employees, and schools to allow pupils, to wear Munster jerseys on the day.

Good luck messages are flooding in to the club’s website.

The club has organised rally points in Cardiff for the “red army” before the match.

Preparations for the massive weekend “air-lift” of fans from Cork Airport are well under way.

More than 3,000 people are expected to travel to the match on special charter flights.

Airport bosses said they expect Saturday to be one of their busiest days since the new terminal opened in August 2006.

Munster flags would be allowed but any item that could cause injury to another passenger would be confiscated, a spokesperson said.