Cork City manager Damien Richardson faces possible disciplinary action by the Eircom League after launching an emotional attack on Merrion Square administrators and Ian Stokes, the referee who oversaw his side's defeat by Longford Town in the FAI Cup on Friday night.
Speaking after the game at Flancare Park, Richardson expressed dismay that Stokes, an official he had already criticised this season, had been given the cup tie at short notice after the withdrawal of Dave McKeon.
The Dublin official infuriated the City boss with his handling of the game, not least for the penalty he awarded Longford late on for an alleged trip by goalkeeper Michael Devine on Dave Mooney.
Longford equalised from the spot kick and went on to win the game while Devine faces a suspension after being sent off as a result of the incident. Television replays subsequently showed that the referee had been mistaken in penalising the goalkeeper as no contact had been made with the striker.
Richardson is likely to receive a substantial fine from the league for his post-match comments which included allegations of incompetence against veteran Merrion Square officials and a clear suggestion that the club was being targeted for unfavourable treatment because of his previous comments.
Galway United will advertise for a new manager both here and in Britain over the coming weeks as the club seeks a replacement for Stephen Lally who resigned in the wake of Friday night's cup defeat by Athlone Town.
The two parties appear to have parted on good terms with Lally accepting he could not get the best out of what is considered a strong squad and the club reluctantly agreeing that a change would be for the best.
Lally is in the process of completing his UEFA B licence and apparently intends to attain the A standard, qualifications which United officials hope he may yet use for the benefit of the club.
"Things haven't worked out as well as anyone would have hoped but Stephen's still held in very high regard," said one United official. "He's doing the badges and the intention is to support him in whatever way we can.
"Hopefully further down the line we can stitch him into our youth development plans - we'd certainly still see him as having a big part to play in the future development of the club."
Lally's assistant Jim Noone and goalkeeper Alan Gough will take temporary charge of first team affairs.
None of the four teams involved in cup replays this evening seems likely to be significantly changed from Friday night with Drogheda United, Limerick, Bray Wanderers and Kildare all coming through their tied games without picking up any major injuries.
United will check on the fitness of left back Simon Webb before Paul Doolin names his side for this evening's meeting with the first division leaders but he expects the former Bohemians player to be okay and to be in a position to name an unchanged starting line-up.
"From what I hear other people think we were lucky down there," said Doolin yesterday, "but I felt we played well enough and the important thing is that we're still in the competition."
John Lester returns from suspension for the visitors while in the evening's other game Bray will be without Ciarán Ryan as they look to build on a strong second-half performance against Kildare.
