With 12 wins from 12 in the SSE Airtricity Division One, Limerick FC are one of the stories of the year as far as Irish football goes.
Martin Russell’s side’s perfect start to the 2016 season means it would take a collapse of Devon Loch proportions to prevent them from gaining promotion to the top flight next season.
But fans of the club are angry as it looks likely that a friendly between Celtic and Inter Milan is set to be announced for Thomond Park on Saturday August 13.
The Limerick Leader report that the fixture – part of the International Champions Cup that is taking place across Europe, Australia and China this summer – will be confirmed this week and will be the second chance Irish-based Celtic fans get to see Brendan Rodgers’ side on home soil this summer. They also play Barcelona at the Aviva on July 30.
The only trouble is that the match at Thomond – a repeat of the 1967 European Cup final – clashes with Limerick FC’s league fixture against Cabinteely.
This has angered a number of Limerick fans – who point out that the FAI blocked their attempts to host Barcelona in 2010.
At the time the FAI wrote that one of the reasons they blocked what would have been a lucrative fixture for Limerick, was because the “sole objective of the FAI is to develop, promote and foster the game in Ireland”.
Now it seems that what may well be an important game for Limerick will be overshadowed or moved to accommodate a pre-season friendly between two international clubs.
https://twitter.com/Terence1937/status/739092050168188928
Someone just made the point the night Celtic play Inter at same time as we play may even be the night we get promoted. Great decision.
— Kevin Kiely (@kevk37) June 4, 2016
Athlone/Waterford saga followed by LOI love n FAI fixing pointless game, Thomond pk same night Limerick FC play. https://t.co/J6oOjAUYbP
— Barry Lynch (@BarryLynch7) June 4, 2016
Celtic v Inter in Thomond same day nearly same time we play Cabo at home in August. Reasons we weren't allowed play Barca again? Jokeshop.
— Kevin Kiely (@kevk37) June 4, 2016
https://twitter.com/johngosullivan/status/739093763914670080
