National League: Cork City may yet be forced to start next week's Uefa Cup second leg tie against Lithuanian side Ekranas with veteran goalkeeper Phil Harrington in the side after abandoning their attempt to draft in a younger replacement for Michael Devine and Mark McNulty due to Fifa regulations.

Manager Damien Richardson has been told that, with both of their first squad goalkeepers injured, Uefa would allow the club to sign somebody right up until the eve of the game.

But the Fifa restrictions on the movement of players between countries mean that if the player came from England he would have to stay until the end of the season after which he would be ineligible to return to an English club until the January transfer window opens there.

"We had been making enquiries in England and there were a couple of players there who were keen to come," said Richardson yesterday, "but this means we could really only take somebody from within the borders here and I don't think there's anybody available.

"The other factor is that I've spoken to Mark McNulty and he feels he is ready to come back into things now so we're going to do some work with him and see how he comes through it while Michael (Devine) is going to see a shoulder specialist to get a better idea about exactly how bad his injury is."

Harrington (41), he says, is likely to start this Friday night against Shamrock Rovers but 24-year-old McNulty, who was previously with Cobh Ramblers, could yet be fit enough to make his European debut.

Richardson, meanwhile, will pursue the signing of a striker or attacking midfielder as "a matter of urgency," as he looks to widen his options up front. "We look to be well covered in the other areas of the pitch but the loss of Roy O'Donovan to suspension for the next couple of games has shown and that's where we could do with bringing somebody in."

Waterford United, meanwhile, will lose caretaker manager Giles Cheevers to a coaching job in the United States after Friday's game against St Patrick's Athletic. "This is a tremendous opportunity for me and one I could not turn down," said Cheevers who will take over as head coach at Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville USA. "It is regrettable that I am leaving Waterford in the middle of the season but matters have moved a little quicker than I thought and I will be leaving for the United States next week." The club's directors will meet over the coming days to consider the matter of a replacement.

Aidan O'Keeffe has completed his move from St Patrick's Athletic to Bohemians while Irish amateur international winger Seán O'Connor, a member of the Republic's squad at the recent Regions Cup in Poland, has joined the Inchicore club and goes straight into the squad for the Waterford game.

Shelbourne have completed the signing of Curtis Fleming until the end of the season.