National League:As speculation continued unabated that Pat Fenlon will soon be appointed Derry City manager, the club's chief executive, Jim Roddy, gave little away when pressed on the matter last night.
Having resigned from Shelbourne on Tuesday, Fenlon is available to fill the post recently vacated by Stephen Kenny, now with the Scottish Premier League strugglers Dunfermline.
It is no secret Derry are keen to employ Fenlon, who is believed to have met Brandywell officials yesterday. But suggestions the Dubliner had travelled to Foyleside for talks on Wednesday are wide of the mark.
"We've spoken with quite a number of prospective managers over the last numbers of days and we hope to continue that over the next few days," said Roddy, who refused to confirm any meeting with Fenlon.
"We will exhaust that procedure and make sure we pick the right manager to take Derry City into the Setanta Cup and . . . the Eircom League next year."
Roddy said no appointment would be made in the next 48 hours and refused to say whether the new manager should move to Derry as Kenny - a Dubliner - had done.
Sources close to Fenlon say the 38-year-old has reservations about moving, as he has a wife and two young children as well as a family business in Dublin.
"We'll work that out with the person who may take the job," said Roddy, adding the move had "worked well" for Kenny.
Roddy was speaking in Dublin at the launch of the Setanta Sports Cup, where his team were drawn in Group One alongside holders Drogheda United and Belfast pair Linfield and Glentoran.
Derry, who failed to progress from the group stage last time, lost to Glentoran at the Oval during that campaign but now get the chance to make amends when they visit Paul Millar's side on the opening day next February.
Drogheda face a huge task to retain the trophy. Last season they avoided the tougher group but manager Paul Doolin says his players will relish the intensity of the games awaiting his club.
"Of course it's going to be tough," he said, "but these are great games and you wouldn't expect anything less playing in this competition. You have to accept what you're given."
As in 2005, league champions Shelbourne are grouped with Cork City and Portadown, while Jim McAree's Dungannon Swifts are also in Group Two. Shels open with a home tie against Portadown. Damien Richardson's Cork travel to Stangmore Park.
Finally, Setanta have reached agreement to extend the competition for a further four years beyond 2008, when funding will increase by 25 per cent.
Setanta Cup Fixtures
Feb 26th: Group One: Glentoran v Derry City, Drogheda United v Linfield. Group Two: Dungannon Swifts v Cork City, Shelbourne v Portadown.
March 5th: Group One: Linfield v Glentoran. Group Two: Portadown v Dungannon Swifts.
March 12th: Group One: Derry City v Drogheda United. Group Two: Cork City v Shelbourne.
March 19th: Group One: Glentoran v Drogheda United, Derry City v Linfield.
March 20th: Group Two: Dungannon Swifts v Shelbourne, Cork City v Portadown.
March 26th: Group One: Linfield v Derry City, Drogheda United v Glentoran. Group Two: Shelbourne v Dungannon Swifts, Portadown v Cork City.
April 2nd: Group One: Derry City v Glentoran, Linfield v Drogheda United. Group Two: Shelbourne v Cork City, Dungannon Swifts v Portadown.
April 16th: Group Two: Cork City v Dungannon, Portadown v Shelbourne.
April 17th: Group One: Drogheda United v Derry City, Glentoran v Linfield.
April 23rd: Semi-final: Winner Group Two v runner-up Group One.
April 30th: Semi-final: Winner Group One v runner-up Group Two.
May 12th: Final.
