A 103 acre Galway site – once earmarked by the GAA as its Centre of Excellence – is about to be transformed into €20 million academy to nurture the next generation of sports stars after all…only now it will be used to create soccer stars rather than hurlers.

Because the millionaire Comer brothers from Glenamaddy have revealed plans to turn the massive property at Mountain South outside Athenry into a centre for emerging young soccer players.

It will be by far the biggest facility of its kind in the country – and one of the Comers’ main aims is to turn Galway United into one of the top teams in the country in the process.

The Comer Group purchased the 103 acre property at Mountain South which was owned by the GAA who had paid a whopping €2.8 million for it twelve years ago.

It is understood that it was acquired for less than €1 million in recent weeks and plans are now to be submitted to Galway County Council to develop the soccer Centre of Excellence on the lands.

Luke Comer of the Comer Group confirmed to the Connacht Tribune that the plans are to develop it into a facility that will be ‘a feeder’ academy for Irish internationals of the future.

The Centre of Excellence will involve the development of six soccer pitches on the site, a huge gymnasium along with the construction of around 30 apartments, where the young footballers will reside.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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