John Delaney: Ireland in line to vacate Gannon Park for Abbotstown

The Ireland team could be in line to vacate their Gannon Park base in Malahide to move to the new National Training Centre in Abbotstown.

Speaking after the announcement of the latest round of Irish Sports Council funding at Croke Park yesterday, FAI CEO John Delaney revealed the new training grounds at the National Sports Campus will be ready to open in May or June and that, by the autumn, he expects the facilities there will be used by the senior team.

However, association sources have stressed that the final decision on where the squad prepares for games will rest with manager Martin O’Neill.

“The campus is going to be open in May or June,” said John Delaney yesterday.

“There are six pitches there. There will floodlights around three of them. There’ll be a goalkeeping area, fencing, dressing rooms, coaching centre, education centre...”

Having indicated that he expected the new pitches would be used by the senior team “come the autumn”, Delaney was asked if this meant that Gannon Park would be vacated by the Irish squad at that point.

“I wouldn’t go as absolute as that yet,” he replied, “but why would we build an elite academy and not use it for our senior international players?”

The Irish squad has used Malahide United’s Gannon Park as their training ground since the beginning of Brian Kerr’s management in 2003, while staying at the nearby Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Links.

Meanwhile, amid optimism from all three main field sports bodies that, with the economic upturn, the era of cuts is finally over, the FAI yesterday welcomed the retention of Sports Council funding of €2.7 million which is earmarked for grassroots development.

One area which will benefit is the booming women’s game.

“Definitely we’re very strong on that,” said Delaney. “Back in 2005/6 there were about 8,500 registered girls, now it’s up around 25,000. And having more girls playing will lead to even better days at senior international level.

“Stephanie Roche’s goal was a great talking point — it was a great goal and a great moment to see — and it probably created an awareness of the women’s game that wasn’t hitherho seen in this country.

“But you only get benefits if you progress from that. And the real changes for us have been pragmatic things like the Emerging Talent programme for the girls, the women’s national league which has been a big success to date and— there’s no question but this will happen in time — when the senior team qualifies for a major tournament.”