Limerick-FAI row enters arbitration

LIMERICK have welcomed the decision of the High Court to appoint an arbitrator in their dispute with the FAI over last summer’s cancelled friendly game against Barcelona.

The FAI refused to sanction the game against the Catalan giants on the basis of a third-party agreement — subsequently revealed to be with Endemol — which meant the association could not give the go-ahead to club friendlies in venues with a more than 15,000 capacity.

Speaking outside the High Court yesterday, Limerick chairman Pat O’Sullivan said: “Michael Collins SC has been appointed by the court as arbitrator today and while it is unfortunate that it had to come as far as going to the High Court, we are delighted that arbitration will now begin immediately. We will now leave the next stage of the process in the hands of our legal team.”