THE FAI will this week advertise for a new club to join the eircom League and fill the gap left by Dublin City after the association voted on Saturday to support the merger which takes the senior game under their control.

At the end of this season, the FAI will take over the running of the league after delegates unanimously voted for the rule changes necessary to complete the assimilation. And the immediate task is fill the position left when Dublin City folded midway through this season's Premier Division.

While 12 teams are due to make up the new FAI Premiership, it is intended that ten teams will compete in next year's First Division so a new club will be sought take up the final space in the second tier.

No candidates have declared their hand as yet, although the association is believed to favour the possibility of a regional team from a county currently without eircom League representation, such as Kerry or Mayo. Any applicant will have to be approved by the FAI Licensing Department, with certain criteria to be adhered to.

Meanwhile, those clubs vying for a place in the new FAI Premiership will each have an hour to impress the independent board which will decide the make-up of the top flight in a series of meetings that will take place later this month.

Qualification for the new top flight will be decided on a points system broken down 50-50 between performances on the field this season and the previous four years plus off the field criteria such as facilities and finances.

Next Fixture

Cork City / October 3rd @ 7:30pm
Competition: FAI Cup
Venue: Turners Cross
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Team	Pld	Pts
Shamrock Rovers	30	60
Bohemian FC	31	50
Derry City	31	50
St Patrick's Athletic	31	46
Drogheda United	31	46
Shelbourne	30	43
Sligo Rovers	31	34
Waterford FC	31	34
Galway United	31	31
Cork City	31	23