As spring turns to summer, it’s timely for John Delaney to offer to take on a spell of gardening leave, as his future in Irish football is now up in the air.

John Delaney Going, going, gone. But, hold on, not entirely gone. Not yet. Not officially and not definitively.

John Delaney has offered to voluntarily step down from his role as Executive Vice-President with immediate effect pending the completion of an independent investigation by the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) into issues of concern to the Board.

The embattled Football Association of Ireland will today attempt to start mending fences with the Government by confirming a glut of exits, including John Delaney’s.

They came, they sat, they parked the bus.

Cork will play in Group A of the Allianz Hurling League Division 1 for 2020 after coming from behind to take a two-point win over Kilkenny in Nowlan Park this afternoon.

Best of the breeds after gap of more than quarter of a century in Carbery’s Cork Beef Bull Championship

St Kieran’s College (Kilkenny) 1-15 Ardscoil Rís (Limerick) 1-13: The terms of engagement may have been changed for this latest joust, but the students draped in black and white still prevailed.

FAI chief executive John Delaney moved last night to put “clear blue water” between the Association and an old Dublin-based Irish arm of Fifa with revenues of more than €100m during seven years of business here.

Missing the All-Ireland final was never an option for Seán Morrissey. The cast and ensuing four-week recovery would have to wait.

St Kieran’s College 2-11 St Francis College, Rochestown 0-10

St Kieran’s College 1-14 Kilkenny CBS 2-3: Leisnter Post Primary Hurling: A devastating third quarter scoring burst saw All-Ireland champions St Kieran’s College defeat Kilkenny CBS in Saturday’s Leinster Post Primary Schools SHC quarter-final in Nowlan Park.

Schoolboy football will have a voice at the FAI top table for the first time since 2007, after Schoolboys FAI (SFAI) chairman Tim Fitzgerald was voted onto the association’s 10-man board.

Cork-born soprano Deirdre Moynihan has an enviable CV, and is now releasing her first CD — a selection of Vivaldi cantatas on the classical Naxos label.

Judging by the extensive reporting yesterday of the conversation that led to the dismissal as Irish manager of Giovanni Trapattoni, the Aer Rianta VIP area in Dublin Airport must have been a densely populated area on Wednesday morning.

In contrast to his swish unveiling at a packed RDS five years ago, Giovanni Trapattoni discovered his fate in a subdued airport lounge yesterday morning.

Mick McCarthy could be invited back for a second spell as Republic of Ireland manager after Giovanni Trapattoni’s reign ended with World Cup disappointment.

The FAI have confirmed the departure of Giovanni Trapattoni from the Republic of Ireland job.

Sister Romilde Trapattoni, the sister of Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni, will be laid to rest in Milan today.

DESPITE showing a massive loss for 2008, the FAI continues to insist there are better times ahead for Irish football.

STEVE STAUNTON’S reign as Republic of Ireland manager came to an end following a meeting with FAI chiefs in Dublin early this morning.

PORTSMOUTH chairman Milan Mandaric is set to talk with former Republic of Ireland boss Brian Kerr and Northern Ireland manager Lawrie Sanchez about the vacant managerial post at Fratton Park.

Republic of Ireland midfielder Graham Kavanagh has urged the Football of Association of Ireland to quickly make up their mind over a new manager.

THE search for the new manager of the Republic of Ireland has begun in earnest with the first meeting of the FAI sub-committee which has been charged with scouting out contenders and making recommendations to the board.

THE FAI have been accused of acting too hastily in getting rid of Brian Kerr due to the lack of viable successors for the post of Republic of Ireland manager.

The Football Association of Ireland have been accused of acting too hastily in getting rid of Brian Kerr due to the lack of viable successors for the post of Republic of Ireland manager.

The Football Association of Ireland today begin the process of “head-hunting” a new manager to again take the Republic of Ireland forward.

AFTER 33 games in 33 months, Brian Kerr’s career as manager of the Republic of Ireland officially came to a halt last night, when FAI chief John Delaney announced that the search for a new Irish manager would begin today.

IT’S D-Day for Brian Kerr. This afternoon at a Dublin hotel, the ten-man FAI Board of Management will meet to review the performance of the out-of-contract Irish manager, and the expectation is that he will not be given the second chance he craves.

Martin O’Neill is understood to be emerging as the leading candidate officials within the Football Association of Ireland would like to see succeed Brian Kerr as national team manager.

THE FAI Board of Management will discuss Brian Kerr’s contract as international manager next week.

EIGHT candidates, including the interim holder of the post, John Delaney, are in the process of being interviewed for the job of Chief Executive of the FAI.

FAI RANK and file are on a collision course with the Government over the appointment of a new chief executive for the association.

FAI officials are adamant the Genesis report will be fully implemented, in spite of the resignation of chief executive Fran Rooney.

The Football Association of Ireland could face a fans’ revolt in the wake of the resignation of chief executive Fran Rooney, it emerged tonight.

The FAI has elected Michael Cody as the organisation's new honorary secretary to succeed Kevin Fahy, recently ousted from the post.

DELEGATES to the AGM of the FAI in Dublin today will be told that the aborted attempt to build eircom park cost the association €7.2 million.