National League NewsBohemians coaches Pat Cleary and Alan Caffrey are likely to be asked to take charge of the team for tomorrow night's league game against Drogheda United in the wake of Gareth Farrelly's departure from Dalymount Park.

Officially, the former Ireland international was sacked by the club in the wake of Tuesday's cup defeat by Shamrock Rovers, but it is believed the 31 year-old opted to go himself in order to return to playing in England.

A player out of work due to dismissal can be signed after tonight's transfer deadline, and so the wording of the club's official statement yesterday which stated his contract had been terminated is, in the circumstances, to the Dubliner's advantage.

Farrelly's departure comes at the end of two frustrating seasons at Dalymount. He was initially handed the task of cutting the club's wage bill, and having done so guided the team to sixth place in the table, 29 points behind champions Cork City.

But some improvement had been expected by the supporters this season and poor form early on had prompted calls for him to be sacked.

Recently the team had been doing better with four wins in their last five league games, and they again lie sixth in the table, but the best of those results, the 2-1 defeat of Shelbourne, may yet be cancelled as Jason McGuinness played for Bohemians when he should have been suspended.

The cup appeared to offer some hope of lifting spirits around the camp, but Bohemians lost 2-0 to Shamrock Rovers in Tuesday's replay at Dalymount when Farrelly missed a penalty.

Paul Devlin, the former Scotland international striker who Farrelly signed and who has done well for the club over the past month, is expected to depart today, leaving those in charge of the team temporarily short of strikers for tomorrow night's league game. Vinny Arkins is likely to be ruled out by injury and Stephen Ward is on international duty with the under-21s in Galway.

Members of the club committee met last night to discuss how best to go about replacing Farrelly. The expectation was that the post will be advertised, although there was speculation that an approach might be made to former Republic of Ireland manager Brian Kerr.