Toshack's Dragons honoured to play first match at Croker

WALES will have the honour of being the first visiting team to play soccer at Croke Park when they take on the Republic of Ireland in a Euro 2008 qualifier on Saturday March 24 next year.

The historic date for Irish sport was decided at a Group D fixture meeting in Frankfurt yesterday, which also threw up another red-letter date - the last soccer match at Lansdowne Road before the old ground is knocked down will see Ireland playing host to minnows San Marino on November 15 this year.

Said FAI chief executive John Delaney: "We're used to having the Welsh over here for rugby matches. I think it brings a nice sense of history to the occasion, that it's Wales in Croke Park for the first game. And the Welsh wanted that as well when I spoke to them last week. They said they'd love to be the first team to play in Croke Park."