ANOTHER CASH INJECTION FOR FAI

THE FAI are in line for another Friday financial windfall — this time from FIFA.

After the Government offered the Association a slice of the €70m Covid-19 rescue pie as one of the three major field sports, FIFA are finalising a package to help member nations hit by the pandemic.

The world governing body has told member nations they should be able to ratify details on Friday.

Meanwhile, it’s expected that news of a restart to the SSE Airtricity League season will come a step closer today when the FAI meet with clubs.

The FAI has put €3.3m in place to ease club overheads, a chunk of that sum was to pay for the cost of clean neutral grounds as the league was geared up to play behind closed doors.

But clubs can now look forward to playing at their own ground, and in front of a number of fans too, as lockdown eases.

The clubs have to agree on relegation from the Premier Division and promotion from the First Division, as well as decide on contesting the 100th extra.ie FAI Cup, which would include a Europa League place for the winners.

The 2019-20 Irish Premiership season is set to end after the league’s 12 clubs failed to reach a unanimous decision on how to resume the campaign.

While the crowning of the champions remains unclear — Linfield were four points of Coleraine when the season was halted in March — there will be relegation with Institute dropping to the Championship and Portadown going up.

The Irish Cup is still expected to resume at the end of July.

Glasgow City forward Clare Shine has thanked people for their support after going missing early on Sunday morning.

City said everyone who helped track down Irish international Shine made ‘such a difference’.

Shine, who opened up about her battle with depression earlier this year, posted: ‘Thank you everyone, I’m struggling and that’s okay. I’ll be back. Look after yourself.’