National League: All but one of the Eircom League's 22 clubs have been awarded the licences they require for the coming season at the first time of asking yesterday, while the one remaining side, Longford Town, will appeal the decision to withhold theirs by the end of the week.

Longford were apparently denied the licence on the basis of having failed to provide the necessary financial documentation to the appropriate committee by the deadline set, but a source close to the club last night claimed the problem was down to an administrative error and could easily be rectified within the five days allowed for the submission of appeals.

Even if the issue is more complicated, there seems every reason for optimism at Flancare Park, with no club having been penalised to any great extent under the scheme in previous years.

The entire process, on this occasion, is reported to have been delayed recently because several clubs could not furnish up-to-date accounts or tax clearance certificates. That only one failed the process was seen as a success story at Merrion Square yesterday.

FAI chief executive officer John Delaney described the progress made in relation to club licensing over the past two years as "very encouraging".

"The long-term viability of the FAI National League is," he said, "very much linked to clubs' ability to achieve the standards set by the Uefa Club Licensing process and clubs are making progress year by year."

The four Eircom League clubs who have qualified for Uefa club competitions this year, Cork City, Derry City, Drogheda United and Shelbourne, will be evaluated for their Uefa licence in May.

St Patrick's Athletic will officially unveil their close-season signings this afternoon, with John McDonnell having remodelled a squad that struggled through much of last season.

The signing of Paul Keegan, who returns to the club after spells in America and with Bray, Bohemians and Longford Town, has completed McDonnell's recruitment campaign.

The club have also snapped up Mark Rutherford, Trevor Molloy and Mark Quigley (all from Shamrock Rovers), as well as Lee Roche (Glentoran), Anthony Murphy (UCD) and David Mulcahy (Waterford United). Maurice O'Driscoll and Mick Byrne have joined the club's coaching staff.

Drogheda United have made a bid to sign Bray Wanderers striker Eamon Zayed and Dublin City have signed 29-year-old goalkeeper David Conroy.