Transfer market active

The future of Martin Reilly and Robbie Devereux at St Patrick's Athletic was still uncertain last night as they were said to be in talks with the club, despite reports north of the border that the pair had signed for Portadown - Reilly on a "Bosman" free transfer, Devereux for a yet to be decided fee.

Reilly, who only broke into the team on a regular basis towards the end of last season, is out of contract at Richmond Park and is free to head north if he wishes, although his midfield team-mate Devereux is still under contract and it was uncertain yesterday whether manager Liam Buckley was prepared to let him go.

Buckley does expect to be trimming back on his existing squad as new players arrive. With Marcus Hallows already having been signed from Sligo for a fee of around £7,500 and left-sided defender/midfielder Des Byrne recruited from Stockport, Buckley admits that "there are some players I want to talk to over the coming days and, I'm sure, some that want to talk to me".

The league champions had also been linked with UCD midfielder Ciaran Kavanagh, but his immediate future was confirmed on Thursday when the Belfield club confirmed that he had signed a new contract. UCD have also said that they expect to conclude a new agreement with striker Mick O'Byrne within the next week or so.

Shelbourne, meanwhile, have confirmed that they will play a friendly against fellow Inter-Toto hopefuls Newry Town at Whitehall Rangers' north Dublin ground tomorrow at noon.

The club, who are involved in talks aimed at adding to the six players already introduced over the close season so far, aim to have one further friendly game next Wednesday evening but, with Liam Kelly and Owen Heery now back from holidays, tomorrow's outing will give manager Dermot Keely his best indication yet of how well he is fixed for next weekend's European tie.