A libel action by former Irish rugby coach Mr Mick Doyle against the Sunday Independenthas been settled on terms including an apology by the paper.
No figure for damages has been disclosed as yet.
Mr Doyle, who was Ireland coach from 1984 to 1987, today faced the third day of his case over an article written by rugby journalist Mr Brendan Fanning and published on February 13th, 2000.
Among other matters, the article stated: "If you want to look at track records, then Mick Doyle, who was Ireland's most successful coach of that period, couldn't manage to break even. And within two seasons of winning a Triple Crown in 1985, he had become ostracised by the decision-making core among the players. Nobody was making a realistic case for him to stay."
Mr Doyle (61), of Sherlockstown Lodge, Sallins, Co Kildare, and originally from Co Kerry, played 20 times for Ireland before becoming coach to the team.
He claimed that the article meant he was banished and excluded by members of the Irish team during the course of his tenure as coach and that Irish internationals whom he coached did not wish to have any involvement with him.