The news that the Government is to increase its funding of the FAI by 50 per cent next year to €3 million was warmly welcomed by the association's leadership yesterday. The chief executive, John Delaney, after a persistent campaign for more public money, promised the additional €1 million would "pay huge dividends in the future".

The money will paid to the association over the course of next year. It will be used in a number of areas, including the implementation of the association's technical plan, a wide-ranging document for the long-term development of the game.

"The payback for investing in football," Delaney said in a statement, "lies not just in the impact on health issues, such as obesity, but also in general well-being from participation in a sporting activity and the positive side of combating anti-social behaviour among our young people."

There was less welcome news for the Merrion Square officials from Lansdowne Road, with the confirmation that the North Terrace will not be open for the FAI Cup final on December 4th, prompting changes to the ticketing arrangements.

Supporters, it has been announced, who have tickets for the North Terrace will now be accommodated in the East Terrace. Tickets for the match, priced €25 and €15 for adults, €10 and €5 for children, are available from the participating clubs, Cork City and Drogheda United, as well as from Ticketmaster.

Meanwhile, St Patrick's Athletic manager John McDonnell has signed an extension to his contract with the Inchicore club that will keep him at Richmond Park until the end of the 2007 season.

McDonnell's position had looked extremely vulnerable as his side struggled to maintain their Premier Division status, but a late run of form leaves the club on a better footing.

The news comes after British-based businessman Brooks Mileson met club officials to discuss a possible investment in the Inchicore outfit. Mileson had been involved in a bid to take over at Shamrock Rovers, and he is believed to be close to Roddy Collins, who had been linked with a move to St Patrick's in the event that Mileson became a substantial stakeholder.

"It's been put out there that Roddy was coming here, but I'm entirely happy that the board have been straight with me throughout this process and that there was never any possibility of that," said McDonnell yesterday.

"I have bigger things to worry about as we try to improve the team for next year, but the talking that has been done over the past week or so is unfair to me, to players who might be considering whether to come here, to the fans and, most of all, to everyone at Rovers."

Over at Rovers, meanwhile, Terry Eviston has resigned as assistant to Collins, who has been suspended pending what is described by the club as an "internal investigation". The strained relations between Collins and the board plummeted further when he left the recent game against St Patrick's Athletic before the final whistle.

His future is likely to become clearer next week, although it seems unlikely he will retake control of first team affairs.

Former manager Alan O'Neill will act as "advisor" ahead of tomorrow's game against UCD.