has been averted, leaving sports fans in Bermuda breathing sighs of relief.

Shane O'Rourke, president of Setanta Sport, had threatened to "switch off'' the FA Cup quarter-final clash between Manchester United and Chelsea on March 7 if he failed to resolve a dispute with The Beach.

O'Rourke claimed the Front Street bar had been picking up his coverage of British sport from an American TV network and was showing it in public illegally, without paying Setanta.

But now Rick Olson, manager of The Beach has thrashed out a compromise deal with O'Rourke, who has scrapped his blackout proposal.

Setanta supplies coverage of Premiership and FA Cup soccer to the Robin Hood, Flanagan's, Young Men's Social Club, Southampton Rangers Football Club, The Country Squire and Docksiders. Some take Five Nations rugby from the company as well.

O'Rourke said the interests of his paying customers were being harmed by The Beach and said if the bar did not switch off or pay up, he would "switch off the Island''.

Olson, who has maintained all along that he was doing nothing illegal, said: "I rang Mr O'Rourke and made him a nominal offer and I am going to pay him a small fee for the programming.

"I was not worrying about it, but I didn't want to make a fuss. He was happy with it and now everyone's happy. But we are not going to be making any customer charge.'' O'Rourke said he was only too glad to avoid blocking broadcasts to his customers in Bermuda.

"I didn't want to have to do it and this is good news for all, I'd say,'' said O'Rourke. "He's agreed to pay something and the blackout threat has now been lifted -- provided Mr Olson does not renege on the deal.''