Setanta Ireland, which survived the collapse of the broadcaster's British business, has had some good news at last, recapturing the rights to 33 English Premier League matches next season.

The Premier League's deals with Setanta Ireland were cancelled after the British arm of the company defaulted on payments and went into administration. The broadcaster then suffered another blow when ESPN added Irish broadcast rights back to the English rights it had secured.

"It would have been very difficult to continue in anything like our current shape," said Setanta Ireland's chief executive, Niall Cogley, of the broadcaster's future had it not secured the package.

The English Premier League is the most watched sporting competition in Ireland. Many Premier League clubs, particularly Manchester United and Liverpool, have large fanbases in the country, who rely on Setanta - and now ESPN - for the chance to see their team.

The broadcaster claims to reach more than 500,000 homes in Ireland, a country of less than five million people.