Five-a-side football facility operator Goals Soccer Centres is poised to enter the Irish market, after confirming that a franchise deal has been agreed with an "experienced leisure operator".

Announcing its interim results for the six months ending 30 June, the group said that an "accelerated rollout" had seen four new UK centres open in the current year - Liverpool North, Portsmouth and two in London. A further four sites are currently under construction at Sunderland, Norwich, Ipswich and Liverpool South, with a minimum of six facilities due to open in 2011. Goals also saw the launch of its first US joint venture in June.

The news comes amid a 3 per cent increase in sales compared with the first half of 2009. Like-for-like sales decline by 3 per cent, however, due to poor weather conditions between January and March. Goals managing director Keith Rogers said: "Goals has delivered a robust trading performance in spite of the abnormal weather and a challenging economic environment.

"While the UK consumer outlook remains uncertain we are confident that results for the year to 31 December 2010 will show continued growth and will be within the range of current market expectations."