FAI back Delaney and say they are ‘happy to bring the matter to a close’

In a statement released by the FAI, its president Tony Fitzgerald says that the organisation’s board is entirely happy with the way chief executive John Delaney is running the organisation despite the renewed controversy that the 47 year-old has generated over the past few days.

“Following recent coverage of the cyber bullying of his partner Emma and the fact that John has publicly apologised if he offended anyone for singing the nationalist song in question, we are happy to bring the matter to a close,” he says, apparently linking the two.

“The Board is more than pleased with the way John Delaney is running the Association,” the statement continues. “He has done an enormous amount for Irish football. In the past year alone the winning of Euro 2020 bid for Dublin adds to a number of very important developments he has helped oversee during his tenure. We recently awarded him a contract extension to 2020 and he is fully deserving of that.”

Delaney was filmed last week singing the song Joe McDonnell in a Dublin pub after the Republic of Ireland beat the USA 4-1 at Aviva Stadium.

Player of month

St Patrick's Athletic striker Christy Fagan has picked up the last Airtricity/Soccer Writers' Association Player of the Month award of the season with the 25-year-old beating off competition for the November gong from Keith Fahey of Shamrock Rovers and St Pat's Greg Bolger.

The award was effectively presented for the performance in the FAI Cup final and Fagan's goals made him a prime candidate to pick up his second monthly award, one that rounds off an outstanding season for the forward who scored 27 goals.

His form prompted interest from a number of clubs, some in Britain, but the Dubliner says he is pleased to have committed his future to the Richmond Park outfit for the 2015 campaign.

Liam Buckley has already agreed terms with a number of last year's squad with midfielder Chris Forrester the most recent player to commit, having signed earlier in the week.

Gavin Brennan has joined brother Ryan at Shamrock Rovers as Pat Fenlon continues to reshape his squad. Brennan joins from Drogheda United while David Webster moves to Tallaght from Bray Wanderers. Goalkeepers Barry Murphy and Craig Hyland have re-signed, the former on a two-year deal.