SOCCER:THE FAI chief executive, John Delaney, has expressed confidence income from commercial deals being negotiated will more than offset the loss to the League of Ireland of Eircom's title sponsorship, writes Emmet Malone.

Delaney was speaking at a press conference yesterday where it was confirmed Eircom would extend its backing of the national teams but would no longer be the primary sponsor of the league.

Eircom will instead become a "communications partner" of the league and, Delaney said, continue to provide around €200,000 worth of the backing to it.

He declined to comment on whether there would a new title sponsor but insisted that, with €75,000 a year of the recently announced Boylesports deal also earmarked for the league and a number of agreements to be unveiled in the months ahead, revenue next year would exceed the €400,000 Eircom paid into the coffers of the league each year.

"Together with the ones that we are going to announce, we will exceed that €400,000 figure very, very easily," he said. "There is a strong appetite out there to sponsor the league in different categories, there is no doubt about that. I don't want to steal anybody's thunder by making any announcements today but when they do come they will be significant for the league in terms of cash and leverage for branding and awareness.

"The evidence of that will be shown over the next couple of months with the announcements we make. It is ultimately good for the clubs as it will mean more money for them."

The director of Eircom's Retail Division, Cathal Magee, said the decision to end the title sponsorship of the league had been taken because the company felt the association had run its course.

"We've been the title sponsor for 10 years," he said, "and in marketing terms that's probably the longest deal of its type in the country. It's probably at the outer limit of what could be put in place but we don't want our decision . . . to be seen as a lessening of our commitment to the domestic game."

In the addition to the funds that will be paid as part of the "communications partner" status, Magee said the value of the two-year extension with the FAI involves an increased contribution. The deal, due to expire in December, had been worth about €7 million over five years, with this year's instalment believed to be €1.7 million.

Asked about the statement by the chairman Fintan Drury this week that Platinum One was dropping its attempt to establish an All-Ireland League, at least for the moment, Delaney reiterated it was the timing of the proposal that had been wrong rather than the aim.

"I've always been in favour of an All-Ireland league," he said. "But the timing of the proposal was bad," because, "the IFA had made it clear from a very early point that they didn't want the league."

Delaney cited the expansion of the Setanta Cup from eight to nine teams for next year as indication of how the two organisations are moving forward and suggested that their relationship would continue to develop.

Dundalk will look to extend their lead in the race for the first division title by beating Shelbourne at Oriel Park this evening. They can, briefly at least, go eight points clear of second-placed Waterford United if they win, but a victory for Dermot Keely's side would greatly tighten the battle for promotion.