DEFENDING LEAGUE of Ireland champions Shamrock Rovers are on the verge of appointing Derry City manager Stephen Kenny as Michael O’Neill’s successor after making an official approach for the Tallaght man this week.

Though there has been plenty of interest in the position vacated by O’Neill after his highly successful three-year reign ended in defeat to Tottenham Hotspur last week, Kenny is the board’s preferred choice and has already held talks with the Dublin club. It is believed confirmation of his appointment could even come today, though tomorrow looks more likely.

After a board meeting on Monday, Rovers obtained permission to speak with Kenny on Tuesday morning and the 40-year-old travelled to Dublin to meet representatives of the club. He has since returned to Derry to discuss his departure, which will involve compensation being paid by Rovers to the Candystripes, given that Kenny has a year to run on his contract which contains a release clause for rival clubs.

However, it is believed the loyalty shown by Kenny towards the Candystripes in recent years, when financial mismanagement led to the club being dissolved and resurrected in the First Division, will lead to an amicable parting of ways.

Kenny, who won a league title with Bohemians in 2003, was in the frame for the job three years ago before O’Neill embarked on a tenure that yielded two consecutive league titles and an unprecedented European campaign in the group stages of the Europa League.

This time round he is thought to have faced competition from the likes of former Ireland internationals Jason McAteer, Alan Kernaghan and David Kelly, while Brian Kerr and Sligo Rovers boss Paul Cook were also linked with the job. The former Dunfermline Athletic and Longford Town boss is likely to travel south with assistant Declan Devine, who has been with him since his first stint at Derry began in 2004.

Their first task will be to secure the future of a number of Rovers players. Only eight – Gary Twigg, Stephen Rice, Ronan Finn, Ken Oman, Gary O’Neill, Chris Turner, Stephen O’Donnell and Ciarán Kilduff – are contracted to the club for the coming season.