Soccer: Sky extend Irish coverage

The Football Association of Ireland signed a new deal with Sky Sports for live coverage of international matches.

The new contract extends the existing deal with the association until the summer of 2006.

Sky now hold live rights to all of the Republic's home matches, including World Cup and European Championship qualifiers and home under-21 fixtures.

Both the semi-finals and the final of the FAI Cup, the major domestic knock-out competition, will also be screened live.

FAI chief executive Bernard O'Byrne said: "This is a great partnership for the FAI and Sky Sports - and particularly good news for our fans who live in the United Kingdom."