SLIGO ROVERS have formally linked up with IT Sligo in a move the clubs can increase the number of local players on the club's first team squad.

Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni was present with Gordon Ryan, Head of Development & Business Operations at IT Sligo, and Michael Toolan, Chairman of Sligo Rovers, at the announcement at the Clarion Hotel, Dublin Airport.

Under the agreement, four scholarships will be co-funded annually by IT Sligo and Sligo Rovers. The scholarships will be available for male and female players and participants will study at IT Sligo and play for its soccer teams, while also being signed with, and playing and training with Sligo Rovers.

 Sligo Rovers will also have use of the top class facilities at IT Sligo for first team squad training, including its modern Knocknarea Arena facility, and floodlit pitches and 3G Astro turf pitch.

 IT Sligo is the largest higher education institution in the North West and has a strong record in sporting achievement. The campus has just undergone a significant development plan which included a multi-million euro investment, in its sports facilities, making it a natural partner for FAI Cup Winners Sligo Rovers.

 To promote awareness of the link, the IT Sligo logo will appear on the Sligo Rovers jersey and IT Sligo signage will also be displayed in the Sligo Rovers Showgrounds.

 Sligo Rovers General Manager Packie Lynch spoke of his delight at the partnership: “When I was appointed one of my first goals was to establish a link with IT Sligo and to create scholarship scheme that would be open to both male and female footballers.

"I’m delighted that all the hard work on both sides has come to fruition and that we have made this partnership happen. It’s an agreement that will greatly benefit Sligo Rovers for years to come.”

 Spokesperson for IT Sligo, Head of Development and Business Operations, Gordon Ryan, said; “We are delighted to be formally launching this partnership with Sligo Rovers. IT Sligo has a very strong record in both men’s and ladies soccer and we see this as a natural progression and development of that tradition.

"Our sports facilities are amongst the best in the Institute of Technology sector and Sligo Rovers will now be just one of the many local organisations in the North West that benefit from them on a regular basis. It’s been a busy year for both Sligo Rovers and IT Sligo and we’re looking forward to building on that winning streak together.”

IT Sligo has a strong record in Soccer. Its Ladies Soccer Team has won the two main competitions in college soccer six times in the past 10 years – the Premier League four times, and the Intervarsity cup twice.

The Men’s Soccer Team won the CFAI Cup twice, most recently in 2009. Almost 30 of IT Sligo’s Soccer team players have gone on to play with Sligo Rovers, and seven of its current first team players are signed with Sligo Rovers

  Further information on the Scholarship Scheme please go to www.sligorovers.com or www.itsligo.ie.