If nothing at all had happened between St Patrick's Athletic and Shelbourne since their classic FAI Cup encounter four years ago then the prospect of the two Dublin Clubs facing each other again on Friday week for a place in the quarter-finals of this year's Carlsberg-sponsored competition would look fairly attractive. Emmet Malone reports

The fact, though, that the two clubs have been embroiled ever since in a feud that culminated in last season's registration row has ensured that their meeting at Richmond Park next week will comfortably overshadow the rest of the competition's third round.

"It's great, fabulous. I am looking forward to it already," grinned Shelbourne manager, Pat Fenlon, moments after the draw had been made. "It's the best tie and that's what it's all about.

"The reality is that you have to beat the best sides at some stage if you are going to win the cup and so it makes no difference. I am perfectly happy to meet them now."

Asked if he was disappointed to be drawn away from home for such an important tie, Fenlon claimed that the venue might well suit his side as "they may have to come out and play a bit".

A few feet away, club official Ollie Byrne looked less convinced that the order in which the two names had come out of the hat had really been a good thing for Shelbourne.

St Patrick's Athletic will actually play their rivals at Tolka Park this Friday night in what was already an eagerly awaited league game, one that Fenlon insisted last night is uppermost in his mind for the moment.

If the two sides can go anywhere close to repeating the drama of their outstanding 1998 meeting which took two replays and penalties to decide - Shelbourne eventually won and went on to lose to Cork City in the final - then next week's encounter will be one to savour.

The third round boasts just one other tie involving two Premier Division clubs with UCD having to visit Dalymount Park for the second time in three seasons.

The only remaining non-league club in the competition, Fairview Rangers, were rewarded for their defeat of Dublin City with another home tie against first division opposition - Finn Harps will this time face the tricky task of taking on the junior cup champions in Limerick.

"It will be tough," said Fairview's acting club secretary, Joe McCarthy, "but all of the pressure will be on them.

"Dublin City probably came thinking they were going to win and Harps might do the same. But our lads will enjoy the experience and in a one-off game anything can happen."

At yesterday's meeting of the National League's management committee, meanwhile, the proposed severance package agreed with league commissioner Roy Dooney's advisers was sent back to the FAI for re-negotiation.

Delegates at the meeting once again voiced their concern at the scale of the compensation involved while some annoyance was also expressed when it later emerged that under the terms of the deal the report of the legal affairs committee into Dooney's handling of last year's much publicised registration problems would be altered.

It is now expected that the two sides' legal representatives will meet to discuss the impasse at some point over the coming days.

Third Round

Sligo Rovers v Bray Wanderers

Bohemians v UCD

St Patrick's Athletic v Shelbourne

Derry City v Waterford United

Monaghan United v Cork City

Shamrock Rovers v Cobh Ramblers

Kilkenny City v Longford Town

Fairview Rangers v Finn Harps.

Fixtures to be played during the week ending August 18th.