News: Shamrock Rovers chairman Tony Maguire is optimistic a new ground-sharing solution will be found for the nomadic club in the next couple of weeks.

"We have made approaches to a number of clubs and we're hoping to get next week's UCD fixture reversed so it's an away game - then the next fixtures are also away, so this gives us a few weeks' breathing space," he said.

Although Maguire holds no animosity towards St Patrick's Athletic for evicting Rovers from Richmond Park, he does feel it will have a detrimental effect on domestic soccer in Ireland.

"It was the easy decision for them to make but it wasn't the right decision for football in Ireland. It's a victory for the hooligans. We intend to root these hooligan elements out of the game."

The final straw appears to have been the league match against Bohemians on September 1st, when there was crowd trouble outside the ground after the match.

The media attention given to this incident, especially some over-the-top radio debates in the immediate aftermath, certainly didn't help Rovers' cause.

"We would go back to Richmond Park in the morning if they'd have us. I was willing to meet the neighbours to discuss the problem," added Maguire.

St Patrick's Athletic have a close relationship with the community of Inchicore and when the people began to voice concern - especially the local businesses that the club depends on to thrive - they felt left with little choice.

"The feeling in the area was fairly intense," said St Pat's general manager Brian Dalton. "It was no knee-jerk reaction by the club. We discussed it at length.

"We have very strong links with the community and it had become a bone of contention with the local residents. As football people we're very disappointed - in fact it was a dark day for football.

"However, the whole problem created a negative reaction. Family members of the club rang up - now these are genuine people - saying they were coming to the Rovers-Pat's game the following week but that they were leaving their seven- and eight-year-old kids at home due to fear of trouble," added Dalton.

The Carlisle Grounds in Bray, Belfield Park and Tolka Park have been suggested as potential short-term abodes.

Since the departure from Milltown in 1987, Rovers have played at Tolka Park, Dalymount Park, the RDS, Morton Stadium and Richmond Park without ever finding a permanent base.

As for the completion of the club's Tallaght stadium, Maguire was again optimistic, without being specific.

"A verbal agreement has been made regarding development and now the solicitors of both sides are discussing it. The financial package is for the completion of phase one and one A, which includes the west stand and function rooms."

Meanwhile, Irish under-19 manager Seán McCaffrey has named an 18-man squad for the European championship first qualifying phase in San Marino next week.

They play Bulgaria on September 18th followed by Lithuania on September 22nd.

Bohemians striker Stephen Ward, who scored on his debut against Skerries last month, and Limerick's Colin Doyle are the only home-based players named in the squad.