DERRY CITY and Shelbourne will seek to agree an alternate venue and, possibly, date and format for this year's FAI Cup final after the association yesterday confirmed the final would have to be moved from Lansdowne Road on May 5th because of the IRFU's planned pitch improvements.

The switch means a loss of revenue for both finalists and, because of this, the FAI's chief executive Bernard O'Byrne said the association would not dictate a date to the clubs.

"At the moment we are talking to the clubs and it wouldn't be just a handed-down decision by the FAI. We will be listening to the two clubs and if we can go along with whatever they agree we will run with that."

The situation is slightly complicated in that Derry have made it known to both the FAI and Shelbourne that Sunday May 4th would be a preferable date for them as opposed to the bank holiday of May 5th. Few companies recognise this bank holiday in the north and Derry could more than double their support if the game was played on the Sunday.

O'Byrne listed four possible alternatives - a final at Dalymount Park on either May 5th or 4th, a Tolka Park decider on either of those dates, a final at Lansdowne Road from May 24th onwards, or a two-legged final.

Tolka Park would seem the least likely alternative as it is Shelbourne's home ground. A return to Dalymount Park, or the two-legged final, appear the most probable alternatives.

In effect, the clubs have until Thursday night's meeting of the association's FAI Cup committee to agree an alternative option, which will then be ratified. If the final is to be moved from Lansdowne Road, O'Byrne stressed this would be a "one-off".