An interim solution has been reached in a legal dispute between footballer Alan Cawley and the Football Association of Ireland, under which Mr Cawley will be free to register with Shelbourne FC.
It is understood the agreement, reached at the interlocutory stage of High Court proceedings taken by Mr Cawley against the FAI, is without prejudice to a decision of an independent tribunal of the Eircom League requiring Shelbourne to pay €20,000 compensation to Mr Cawley's former club, UCD. The full action between the parties will be heard at a later date, at which action Mr Cawley is expected to argue that Shelbourne should not have to pay the €20,000 compensation.
A previous court hearing was told that Shelbourne would be willing to sign Mr Cawley immediately if they did not have to pay the €20,000.
Yesterday, Mr Justice de Valera was due to hear a motion by Mr Cawley for an interlocutory order directing the FAI to register him with the Eircom League as a professional footballer with a member club and an order setting aside the €20,000 compensation award.
However, after talks between the parties, Mr William O'Brien, for Mr Cawley, said they had reached an amicable resolution of this stage of the proceedings.