Frustrated Cork City chairman says Grovemoor takeover will be decided soon

The group – which also owns English Championship club Preston North End – has retained a “call-option” to take over Cork City

18 February 2022; Ruairi Keating of Cork City celebrates after scoring his side's sixth goal the SSE Airtricity League First Division match between Bray Wanderers and Cork City at Carlisle Grounds in Bray, Wicklow. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

Cork City chairman Declan Carey has expressed his “incredible frustration” at further delays over Grovemoor’s proposed takeover of the club, but predicts a closing date to be confirmed in the “very, very near future”.

The English-based group – led by Trevor Hemmings, who died last year, and his son Craig – had bailed City out in early 2020 with a financial injection to secure a licence from the FAI. They bought out City's sell-on clauses for Seani Maguire and Alan Browne.