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AIRTRICITY LEAGUE PREMIER Division champions St Patrick’s Athletic will meet FAI Cup winners Sligo Rovers in the very first President’s Cup on 2 March.
Richmond Park will host the inaugural match a week before the new league campaign gets underway with the Saints hosting the team they defeated to clinch their first title in 11 years last October.
“President Higgins support for the Airtricity League and Irish soccer is deeply appreciated and the introduction of the President’s Cup will provide us with an exciting game between the league champions and cup winners to start each new season,” said chairman of the National League Executive Committee Eamon Naughton.”
Director of the Airtricity League Fran Gavin added: “President Higgins is a huge supporter of our game and takes the time out from his busy schedule to go to games and meet players, officials and supporters.
“He is really behind this idea and the game will also have a charitable aspect to it.”
Meanwhile, the First Division fixtures for the upcoming season were released today with the opening night seeing Galway FC play Longford Town, Finn Harps welcoming Waterford United and Wexford Youths travelling to Tolka Park to take on Shelbourne on 8 March.
The following night, Shamrock Rovers’ second team will get their first taste of action away to Cobh Ramblers.
Friday, 8 March
Saturday, 8 March
To view the complete Airtricity League 2014 Premier Division fixture list please go to www.airtrictyleague.ie
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‘Customers urge Ulster Bank to go f themselves and will do what they like with their money’. The audacity of it, I understand like why they wouldn’t obviously want people to, but really they can’t dictate about how or when people solve a problem they created.
Can we just remember a few months back Ulster Bank said “don’t worry, we’ll sort it for you”.
Some of the comments here, and general Irish opinions, reminds me of the frog in a pot as the water boils. Right now, there is absolutely no competition in banking in Ireland, the major banks that remain are very high cost and offer no customer service. They will slowly close more branches, cut costs and increase fees and the Irish will have no option but to pay high costs while also saying “good riddance” to their only competition. Or, even more confusingly, the Irish will say “we will use credit unions” or “the post office”, showing a total and utter lack of understanding of banking and financial acumen. This is fast going the way of a Main Street banking crisis in Ireland and it’s being supported by the people who will be most effected by it, crazy stuff.
@Local Ore: This bank has been a complete disaster for years, as others have said good riddance.
@Ballybough Marcus: What are you talking about? The bank has had no more issues that the big 2, they are pulling out because NatWest thinks there’s no money to be made in the Irish market. Ulster Bank is a subsidy of NatWest who have over €1BN in Assets. As I said, frogs in boiling water, you are bidding good riddance but don’t know the consequence – Irelands banking is now consolidated to 2 banks (PTSB is no where near the other 2) who can apply massive upward pressure, they can increase fees and lower services, exactly like the insurance companies have. Irish people should be outraged and looking for reform in the sector but instead every ordinary joe on the street is celebrating their own misfortune.
@Local Ore: you’re right it is not competitive a d there is very little option. However, much of that is down to the fact that larger multi national banks would rather focus their attention on bigger markets or bigger potential, that isn’t here right now and it’s been well publicised that it’s an issue, can’t force banks to open here and until one sees it as an opportunity more than a risk or their other options then it’s likely to continue. As for saying good riddance to Ulster Bank, they’ve closed a long time before they announced it, was impossible to do any sort of business with them. The others are bad but they’d shit up shop long before they announced it.
@This time its personable!: My town of 10,000 hasn’t had a physical bank branch of any kind in donkeys years. But the Ulster Bank App has been excellent and the times I’ve had to travel to the nearest Ulster Bank branch have always resulted in excellent customer service so I’m sorry to see it go.
@Local Ore: i know what you mean. But there is Revolut for free accessible day-to-day banking. Just can’t do loans or mortgages with them.
More bank arrogance… Good riddance to them.
Would help if you could do it online instead of visiting branches or writing letters.
What happens if you close your account and still owe personal loan and overdraft?
@paul christopher cox: The bad loans will be sold to a recovery agency. What little peace a person has from a bad loan with a bank is nothing when compared to the recovery agencies. If you’re thinking this, I would reconsider.
I wonder if the other banks will start competing for the accounts.
@Sandra Duffy: since there’s only a handful left now Sandra I wouldn’t be at all surprised if their offer was a special one off – you to pay them to join as well as the other normal charges!
@Sandra Duffy: It would be nice but it won’t happen—–They’re a cartel —just like the meat factories and the Legal system!
I could have sworn i heard people having to get accounts quickly ….could just be rumors though
All them running out of the market as there won’t be any bail outs next time things go bust..
now we are stuck with three banks that the government will support. But will leave us, the customer frustrated from lack of customer service and branches and p*ssed off with the charges and interests they will charge.
Hmmmm maybe money in the mattress is the only option here…
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