Sports-mad Irish fans will be able to attend the Ryder Cup AND the All Ireland Football final in 2006.

The GAA yesterday agreed to bring forward the date for the football decider by a week to avoid a clash with the Ryder Cup matches at the K Club.

The 36th Ryder Cup matches will take place at Kildare venue from September 22-24, but they will not clash with the GAA's football showpiece at Croke Park.

GAA bosses have agreed to move the football final to Sunday September 17 so that fans can enjoy both events live.

This will only be the third time in its long history that the All Ireland Football final will move from its traditional date on the last Sunday in September.

In 1947 the final was played in New York, while in 1942 a foot and mouth outbreak forced Croke Park bosses to move the final back a week.

GAA President Sean Kelly said: "We are delighted to be able to make this change to help the Ryder Cup in Ireland.

"We will bring the match forward by a week although we still have to confirm the exact dates that we have put aside for possible replays in earlier rounds."

The dates for the Ryder Cup were officially announced by Failte Ireland and the European Tour at a reception in Dublin yesterday.

But it also emerged that the GAA will team up with the Ryder Cup to showcase hurling and gaelic football in promotional videos for the matches at the K Club.

European Ryder Cup director Richard Hills paid tribute to the GAA for its decision to move the football final to an earlier date.

He said: "The GAA has been most helpful in ensuring that the Ryder Cup and the All-Ireland Football final will not take place on the same day in the national interest."

Daily crowds of up to 40,000 are expected at the K Club and a worldwide television audience of around 700 million in 42 countries will tune in to see the clash between Europe and the United States.

Sports minister John O'Donoghue also paid tribute to the GAA.

He said: "I want especially to thank the GAA and show my appreciation for their fine gesture in moving the date of the All-Ireland football final to avoid having it take place on the same weekend as the Ryder Cup.

"The Ryder Cup goes beyond golf. It is a classic contest, the Old World against the New. It appeals to people at every level, golfer and non-golfer alike and is followed with the heart as well as the head.

"Now that the dates have been confirmed we have a target at which to aim and we can begin to look forward to the event in earnest."

Irish golf tourism is set to get a massive boost in the run up to the Ryder Cup and over ¤250 million has been invested in golf courses and back-up facilities since the event was awarded to Ireland in 1998.

O'Donoghue added: "The investment has certainly paid off with some 200,000 golf tourists generating revenue of nearly ¤200 million annually.

"Our successful hosting of the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games in June demonstrated to the world that we are more than capable of staging top world sporting events."

Ryder Cup 2006 souvenirs, such as sweaters, polo shirts, umbrellas, caps and golf balls are already on sale.

An official merchandise website - http://www.rydercup2006.ie - was officially launched yesterday.

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© Brian Keogh 2003

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