I can’t just Pat him straight Mac in Bray rally to see off Bit O’ Red
KENNY RELUCTANT TO RISK STAR’S FITNESS
PATRICK MCELENEY is a major doubt for Dundalk’s Europa League clash with Levadia Tallinn in Estonia on Thursday.
The playmaker, 25, returned to the Lilywhites from Oldham Athletic last week.
But it could be the home leg before he is back in competitive action, even though he featured from the start in Saturday’s friendly with Glentoran.
“Patrick could take a couple of weeks to get back to full fitness,” said boss Stephen Kenny. “If I do throw him in, he’s going to be injured. That’s his history so I have to make sure he’s right.
“In England, he was getting thrown back in (after injury) and wasn’t able to rehab properly.
“He has had a thigh and groin issue so wasn’t available for selection (last Friday).”
But Dundalk are hopeful that they’ll have the creative talents of Michael Duffy to call on after he was taken off as a precaution with a groin issue in Friday’s hard-fought 3-1 win at St Pat’s.
After that victory moved the Lilywhites four points clear at the top of the Premier Division, Kenny hit back at Shamrock Rovers counterpart Stephen Bradley’s criticism of the Mceleney transfer.
Bradley claimed it was bad business for the League in
Cork City Legia Warsaw Champions League qualifier 1st leg, Turner’s Cross, tomorrow, 7.45pm
v JOHN CAULFIELD has spelled out the David vs Goliath task facing his Cork City side.
The Leesiders host Legia Warsaw in the Champions League tomorrow night.
And Caulfield believes the general because Dundalk had let Mceleney go on a free only to buy him back seven months later.
But Kenny (inset) responded by stating that Mceleney wanted to come back to Dundalk and that they only paid a fee because of Rovers’ interest in him – and he described Bradley’s criticism as “bravado” and “playing to the gallery”.
As for Thursday night, Kenny knows his side face a difficult opening round tie.
Assistant coach Ruaidhri Higgins was in Tallinn on Saturday to watch Levadia beat Nomme United 4-1 in the Estonian Cup.
Kenny said: Polish title holders are the toughest European opponents the club has faced since Bayern Munich in the 1991-92 season.
“We haven’t played Champions League football for 13 years, and we’re all looking forward to it,” said Caulfield.
“We know we’ve got the toughest draw that we possibly could have got and we know we’re completely different team to last year. Only six of the squad remain and they’ve a new Serbian coach and I’ve been impressed with them, they’re a good team.
“It will be a tough tie, but you’re always looking to score away from home.”
Pat Hoban, the League’s top scorer, struck his 20th and 21st goals of the campaign on Friday as Dundalk made it 10 wins on the spin.
“Please God he stays fit,” added Kenny. “He’s been terrific and showed real leadership, he’s a ferocious competitor.”
And that winning streak equals the record set by a up against a phenomenal team – probably the best team this club has played in Europe since Bayern Munich.
“But there will be 7,000 people down here tomorrow night, and if we prepare properly... obviously we’re a small club and they’re a massive club, but our lads will give everything they have and we’ll see how we go.” Dundalk team, going back 50 years to 1968.
“Listen, we weren’t focusing on that, we’re only focusing on winning matches.
“We knew we were in trouble at half-time and that we had to stand up.
“To come back and win 3-1, certain players showed real leadership. My players were brilliant overall.
“After the win against Cork it was important to back that up and right up to the 93rd minute we were in a right game.
“It’s good to hear that we are four points ahead now, but we’ll focus on ourselves, we’ve still got tough away games to come, a lot of games still to play.”
Legia’s Poland internationals Michal Pazdan and Artur Jedrzejczyk are not due to return to club duty until the day before the second leg in Warsaw in eight days’ time.
Meanwhile, 21-year-old defender Sean Mcloughlin has signed a new deal that will keep him at Turner’s Cross until the end of next season.
Bray Wanderers Sligo Rovers
1 2 MARTIN RUSSELL last night claimed that everyone at Bray Wanderers is a victim of the club’s latest financial crisis.
In front of the smallest crowd of the season at the Carlisle Grounds – just 271 fans – the Seagulls battled their way to a surprise win.
“It’s been tough for everybody. Everyone has been a victim of it. You just have to make the best of it,” said Russell afterwards.
Bray had a massive slice of luck when taking a 15th minute lead.
Ger Pender appeared to be well offside when latching onto Daniel Kelly’s ball over the top. However, the flag wasn’t raised and Pender placed a half volley past Mitchel Beeney.
The Bit O’red levelled ten minutes after the interval. Raffaele Cretaro started the move in midfield, and took a return pass off debutant Mikey Drennan. The veteran dinked a cross in from the left and ex-seagull Adam Wixted nodded home from six yards.
But Sean Heaney powered a 76th minute header into the roof of the net to move the Seagulls within six points of Limerick in the race to avoid relegation.
Sligo boss Gerard Lyttle said his side owed their fans an apology after the loss to the basement side.
With boos from the away section at full-time, some Rovers officials were involved in a verbal spat with fans after the game.
Lyttle said: “I think a lot of our players owe our fans an apology, because we had quite a few coming to support us. We’ve let them down. We’ve let the club down.”