OK Im with it now but in my defence I had read this article minutes before I saw this thread but Im still thick http://www.welsh-premier.com/news.php?ID=5506 WELSH CONSIDER SETANTA INVITE THE Welsh Premier is considering an invitation for two of its clubs to participate in the Setanta Cup. Currently the exclusive preserve of clubs in Ireland, the competition is sponsored by pay-TV channel Setanta, which provides prize money of €350,000 and sponsorship of €1.6 million over four years. Last season, Carnegie Premier League teams Dungannon Swifts, Glentoran, Linfield and Portadown were joined by Eircom League sides St Patricks Athletic, Derry City, Drogheda United and Cork City in the competition. The South Wales Echo claimed last week that the FAW was considering plans to invite cross-border teams from Scotland and Ireland to join the FAW Premier Cup, but Welsh Premier League chairman Alun Evans has clarified the story and says it is the organisers of the Setanta Cup who have made the initial proposals. "At the moment the Setanta Cup is composed of four Eircom League clubs and four Irish League clubs playing in two groups of four with a semi-final and final to close the competition," explained Evans. "The format being proposed by the Irish leagues is to have two clubs from the Eircom League, two from the Irish League, two from the Welsh Premier and two from the Scottish Football League. "The matter was discussed at the FAW Council meeting last week and was handed over to the Welsh Premier League to act as it sees fit." Once more information is forthcoming the matter will be referred to the clubs and Evans continued: "If the competition falls in place in the summer as what would be for Welsh Premier clubs a pre-Europe warm up tournament, then all well and good. "However, if the competition runs during the season then both the League and clubs would have to consider the implications to League and Cup fixtures, especially if it coincides with the present Setanta Cup dates – running from early February to May." This year's third final was contested by Linfield and Drogheda United, the only teams to have won the competition previously, and was the first to be played in Northern Ireland, at Windsor Park. It is not clear whether Welsh involvement in the Setanta Cup would spell the end of the FAW Premier Cup but, if it did, eight Welsh Premier clubs would miss-out on the considerable financial benefits from the 10-year old, BBC-sponsored tournament. 21 June 2007