SETANTA SPORTS CUP:THE SETANTA Sports Cup will be expanded to nine teams from next season in a revamp of the all-Ireland competition.
The organisers also stated at yesterday's relaunch of this year's competition that the prize fund - at present €350,000 - would be increased next year.
The winners of this year's trophy will gain automatic entry to next season's competition. If they have qualified by existing channels (Champions, league runners-up, FAI Cup and League Cup winners), a play-off will between a side from each jurisdiction will decide who gets the ninth place.
Last year's play-off between the League of Ireland Cup winners and First Division champions has been scrapped.
A decision on how clubs would qualify for a potential cross-Border play-off will be decided at a later date, as will the increase in the prize fund and whether this year's four-month break in the tournament will be retained.
There will be three groups of three teams in 2009, the group winners and the best runner-up making the knockout stages. The semi-finals are likely to be changed to a two-legged tie. Currently group winners have home advantage over the runners-up of the other group in a one off game.
The new format will mean just four group games as against six at present. But the organisers hope that with a place open to the best runner-up it will make the groups more competitive until the end.
Meanwhile, Wexford Youths stand a reasonable chance of hosting the League of Ireland Cup final against Derry City at Ferrycarrig Park on September 27th, following their historic defeat of Cork City in their semi-final at Turner's Cross on Monday night.
A decision on where the final will be played will be made on Friday by the League of Ireland executive committee.
"Wexford is one of the venues we will look at," said League of Ireland director Fran Gavin. "It would be such a big occasion, with the uniqueness of Wexford being there and everything that the club and Mick (Wallace) brings to it against Derry, who have their own tradition in the competition.
"It's a big, big match now with two sides to it. We would expect a big crowd and we want to make sure the match is held in a venue that would suit the occasion.
"The main concern is that people go to the match and are comfortable and it looks well. It's live on television on a Saturday night.
"It's possible Wexford could host it. I wouldn't rule it out . . . We'll have another discussion on it (this) morning and make a decision on it on Friday."
Next week's Setanta Sports Cup Fixtures
Group One (Monday) - Cliftonville
v Cork City; Drogheda United v Dungannon Swifts. Group Two (Tuesday) - Derry City
v Glentoran; Linfield v St Patrick's Athletic.
(7.45pm unless stated)
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Third qualifying round, second leg: Arsenal v FC Twente (8.05pm); Atletico Madrid v Schalke 04; BATE v Levski Sofia (5pm); Basle v Guimaraes (7.15pm); Dinamo Zagreb v Shakhtar Donetsk; Dynamo Kiev v Spartak Moscow (6.45pm); FBK Kaunas v AaB (6pm); Fenerbahce v Partizan Belgrade (7pm); Liverpool v Standard Liege (8.05pm); Marseille v SK Brann; Olympiacos v Anorthosis Famagusta; Slavia Prague v Fiorentina; Steaua Bucuresti v Galatasaray (6.45pm).
ENGLISH LEAGUE CUP: Second round: Blackburn v Grimsby (8pm); Fulham v Leicester (8pm); Huddersfield v Sheffield Utd; Nottingham Forest v Sunderland; West Ham v Macclesfield.
SCOTTISH LEAGUE CUP: Second round: Arbroath v Inverness CT Ayr v Aberdeen Brechin v Kilmarnock Hearts v Airdrie Utd.
