NEWS: Pat Dolan will make it known later today whether he is to become Cork City's new manager.

The current St Patrick's Athletic chief executive and team manager remains the hot favourite to be unveiled as Liam Murphy's successor at a noon press conference in Cork tomorrow, despite the 34-year-old apparently having had second thoughts on ending his 15-year association with St Patrick's Athletic, the club he has spent much of his time rebranding into one of domestic football's most dynamic.

Speculation has mounted all week linking Dolan with the vacant manager's post at Turner's Cross following previous incumbent Murphy's resignation on the last day of the season, January 26th.

Dolan is believed to have met Cork City chairman Brian Lennox initially three weeks ago and again last weekend.

Dolan's future at St Patrick's has been the subject of speculation for some time following a year of trauma brought about by last season's registration wrangles which ultimately cost St Patrick's the 2001/02 league championship. Last season the team failed to mount a challenge in the league and finished a very disappointing seventh, with sections of the club's support demanding Dolan's resignation.

Though he does appear to have been offered the Cork City job, further spice was added to the speculation after Dolan had a lengthy meeting with the St Patrick's board on Tuesday night at which it is believed he outlined his commitment to stay at Richmond Park, with the carrot of an investment of €500,000 in the club from builder Mick Wallace allegedly part of the deal.

St Patrick's say they have offered Dolan a new deal.

"We want Pat Dolan to stay at St Patrick's Athletic," said club chairman Andy O'Callaghan. "We held a long meeting with Pat on Tuesday night when we made him an offer. Pat asked to be given time to consider that offer and we agreed to that and expect an answer tomorrow (today). We are aware that Pat has had an offer from Cork City."

Dolan, who initially joined the club as a player in 1988, had brief spells at Galway United and Shamrock Rovers before being re-signed by Brian Kerr in 1991. He got involved in marketing the club while still playing and soon rose to become its chief executive.

Dolan became team manager following Kerr's resignation to become Irish youth team manager in December 1996. He won the league in his first full season in charge, 1997/98.

Dolan's chief rival for the Cork vacancy was believed to be current Sligo Rovers manager Don O'Riordan, who had emerged as the initial favourite.

O'Riordan remains under contract at the Showground, but a compensation deal is not believed to be the reason Lennox cooled on the former Galway United manager.

One-time Cork manager Damien Richardson was also a candidate for the job, though he didn't apply for it.