Willie Ruane: "We’re at the phase now where we have three potential locations." Photo by Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile

Connacht CEO Willie Ruane has confirmed that the province have narrowed down their search for a new stadium to three potential locations but he admitted that the whole process continues to move at a much slower pace than he would like.

Last March, Ruane admitted that he had hoped to have a clearer picture on exactly where Connacht's new home will be situated by the end of the summer but that doesn't appear to have happened yet.

Redeveloping the Sportsground remains a viable option as discussions are ongoing with the Irish Greyhound Board (IGB) while it is understood that the other two locations in question are a move to Galway United's Eamonn Deacy Park or a new stadium in the Galway docks.

Look-out Connacht have outgrown the 7,800-capacity Sportsground and have been on the look-out for a new home for quite some time but they have at least now whittled down their options.

"We're at the phase now where we have three potential locations, they're fully scoped out, fully costed, drawings done, all of that and it really is a case of selecting which location we'd go with and then progress it to the next stage," Ruane said.

"Some of that comes down to what we'd be able to achieve, and what might be viable in each location, then obviously engaging with the stake holders in each of those. That's where it's at.

"Unfortunately, and this has been the case for a while, we're working on other people's pace, so we're dependent on others.

"We're working at the pace of others, but we're pushing it as much as we can. It's frustrating, I won't deny that.

"We're ambitious on and off the pitch, we know where we want to get to in terms of a stadium, in terms of the finished product, and you just want it to happen, but we'll keep pushing it because it is absolutely crucial to Connacht Rugby in terms of us achieving success in a sustainable manner into the future," he added.

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