Negotiations begin for potential Cabinteely-Bray Wanderers merger

It is understood what began as a ground-share proposal for the Carlisle Grounds has developed into potential buyout talks.

Negotiations have been held with a view to First Division clubs Cabinteely and Bray Wanderers merging into a single League of Ireland entity.

It is understood what began as a ground-share proposal for the Carlisle Grounds has developed into potential buyout talks.

The timeline, as it stands, is the team being titled Bray/Cabinteely in 2022, Cabinteely/Bray in 2023 with a new brand encompassing the south Dublin/Wicklow region for 2024.

What division they are in for next year will be known by the end of the month.

Bray on Sunday overcame Galway United in the first stage of the play-off series, effectively a quarter-final, and will need to beat UCD next to face the side that finishes second bottom of the Premier, likely either Waterford or Finn Harps, for a place in the 2022 Premier Division.

Niall O’Driscoll and his brother Tim rescued Bray from extinction in 2018 by succeeding Gerry Mulvey as majority shareholders. A number of other parties own minority stakes.

Those include Pat Devlin, Cabinteely’s Director of Football. Devlin is synonymous with Bray, spending 27 years at the Seagulls in various roles but it was his feat in delivering two FAI Cups as manager that amplifies his legacy. Now he could be making another comeback.

It is understood that Tony Richardson, who switched from Cabinteely treasurer to chairman in July, succeeding Larry Bass, is spearheading the talks with Bray. He is a well-established entrepreneur in the medical technology sector and currently heads up Venn Life Sciences.

Cabo were parachuted into the League of Ireland in 2015 after the FAI became desperate to replace the Shamrock Rovers reserve team that withdrew after just one season. The FAI allowed the new entrant to use Stradbrook, the home of Blackrock rugby club, for their home matches.

The venue would not meet Premier Division licencing criteria were the club to gain promotion, forcing the club to assess alternative bases.

Should the merger reach a conclusion, the FAI will seek to fill the vacancy in the First Division. Rovers were disappointed that their reserve team’s revival, entitled Rovers II, were denied a place in this season’s division, as were the new venture under the banner of Dublin County.

They may both reapply for the upcoming round of licences but the FAI are also exploring a proposal to introduce a third tier. Realistically, the creation is being earmarked for 2023, by which stage a collection of reserves sides, universities and intermediate clubs will be ready to join the structure.

Jonathan Hill, who this week celebrated his first year’s anniversary as FAI chief executive, has articulated his desire to establish a pyramid system.