The inaugural Cork Super Cup featuring Celtic and Cork City at Supervalu Páirc Uí Chaoimh in July is already generating a lot of interest from Celtic fans all over Ireland as well as in Scotland, early indications suggest.
Neil Reilly of the Association of Irish Celtic Supporters Clubs said he had learned that presale figures show strong demand from Celtic fans in Northern Ireland, Scotland and further afield.
“There has been a lot of interest from within Ireland with supporters travelling from as far as Donegal, Tyrone and Belfast. I know of quite a few from Glasgow and also from Germany that have booked up already for the game,” he said.
“The numbers of Irish fans going to Celtic home games is increasing week on week, this surge is being replicated with the number of enquiries I have received since Monday, especially from families who want to come to Cork to see the Bhoys play.”
The tickets went on sale on Friday morning, priced from €28 for the terraces and €30 for the stands, while children’s tickets range in price from €18 to €20. A family ticket (two adults and two children) are available for €115 and the organisers have arranged a dedicated block in the stadium for families.
Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr Dan Boyle of the Green Party said he expected the game on Leeside to prove a sell-out.
“Cork is a brilliant city for a short visit and promises a brilliant atmosphere for those who will travel for the game. My father was a diehard Celtic fan, so this match has an added significance for me. I look forward to Cork giving fans from far and wide a huge welcome on July 8th.”
Cork GAA chief executive Kevin O’Donovan wouldn’t be drawn on what the game would be worth to the county, who are promoting the game with Druid Sports. Munster’s sell-out clash against New Zealand side the Crusaders at the ground is believed to have netted Cork GAA between €150,000 to 200,000.
The profits from the game will assist Cork GAA in their efforts to pay off the €30 million debt still outstanding on the 45,000 capacity stadium which cost a €96 million when it went a major redevelopment between 2015 to 2017.
The game will be just the third soccer match to be played at Cork GAA HQ after the women’s soccer international in 2024 and a Man Utd Legends XI and a Celtic/Republic of Ireland XI in 2018 which raised funds for the family of the late Liam Miller who played for both Celtic and Manchester United in his career as a professional footballer.
Tickets for the inaugural Cork Super Cup, which go on sale this morning, are available from either CorkSuperCup.com/tickets or directly from ticketmaster.ie
