Dissension avoided as decisions delayed

A potentially contentious annual general meeting of the Eircom League passed off without incident in Dublin on Saturday when all of the debates on key issues were deferred until later in the close season.

A rule-changing e.g.m. will be held at some point before the new campaign gets under way in July and it is then that the attempt to overhaul the organisation's regulations will be made.

The future of its main officials are also likely to be decided over the coming two months.

Both Roy Dooney and Michale Hyland apologised to club representatives from around the country for the part they had played in the registration controversy that dogged the league all season, but neither came under any pressure to resign on Saturday.

Instead, Hyland's future now looks to be tied to the fate of a move to reform the league's structures.

If the proposals involved are accepted - and their consideration may also require an e.g.m. over the coming month or so - the position of chairman would more or less disappear, while the league full-time management team would gain substantially more influence.

It is likely to be at the point of such a decision being taken that those who feel Dooney should go would be obliged to make their move.

Hyland told delegates that he is confident that a new television deal will be concluded over the coming weeks as talks are at an advanced stage with "RTÉ and other broadcasting companies".

He also said that he is optimistic that the present sponsorship deal with Eircom will be renewed at the end of the season.

If it is not, the league will be under pressure to find an alternative source of revenue, for just about every cent of the €320,000 currently provided by the company each year is needed by the league to balance the books.

Treasurer Declan Ó Luanaigh warned delegates that no funds were currently available to mount a marketing campaign in support of the switch to summer football and that any significant increase in losses could result in the organisation becoming insolvent.

Would-be league champions, Shelbourne and St Patrick's Athletic, will kick off their new campaigns on the first weekend in July away to Cork City and Shamrock Rovers respectively.

Bohemians face UCD, Bray take on Longford and first division champions Drogheda United will be at home to Derry City.

Over the course of the summer it is planned that an under-21 league representative side will take on Celtic under-21s in a friendly game which it is anticipated will be played in Dublin.

Meanwhile, Kildare County confirmed yesterday Dermot Keely will take charge of the club's first team during its inaugural season.