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."

With such near neighbours set to provide the opposition for the first soccer match at Croker, there is bound to be something of a ticket frenzy in advance of the game. In all, Ireland will play four European qualifiers at Croke Park in 2007 - Wales on March 24 and Slovakia four days later on Wednesday 28. They then host group favourites Germany on Saturday October 13 with Cyprus following four days later - guaranteeing a financial bonanza for the FAI.

Added Mr Delaney: "I've made no secret of the fact that the group is very good for us financially. With the television rights particularly for the German game, the advertising boards and now the prospect of four full sell-outs in Croke Park, 2007 financially is going to be a very good year for us."

Ireland open their campaign with a tough away game in Germany on September 2 this year, although the venue is not yet decided.

Similarly, the venue for the away game against San Marino in February of next year - a match which could yet take place in Italy - has yet to be confirmed. However, it was confirmed yesterday that the away match against Slovakia in September of next year will take place in Trvana, a city about 50 kilometres from the capital Bratislava. Completing Group D, Ireland also face home and away games against top seeds the Czech Republic.

New Irish manager Steve Staunton, who attended yesterday's meeting with Bobby Robson, as part of a five-strong FAI delegation, was happy with the outcome.

"We've got a fair draw out of it," he said. "We did very well considering we were fourth seeds but it's going to be a hard group. There's some cracking games in there and we're really looking forward to it."