KING KENNY WANTS HIS CROWN BACK

DUNDALK manager Stephen Kenny remains keen to add ‘at least another two’ players to his squad this week ahead of Friday’s SSE Airtricity League Premier Division opener against Bray Wanderers at Oriel Park (kick-off 7.45pm).

Speaking after Sunday’s President’s Cup final defeat against Cork City, Kenny admitted he still had a bit to do ahead of the transfer deadline on Thursday week February 22nd.

Former Republic of Ireland U-21 striker Sam Byrne, who trained with the squad last week, is still expected to wrap up a loan move from Everton while another attacking player will also be targeted.

Should the latter arrive they will likely go straight into the squad for the visit of the Seagulls to Oriel Park on Friday with Byrne said to be some way shy still of match fitness.

Dundalk have a number of injury concerns ahead of the league opener with Stephen O’Donnell (calf) and John Mountney (knee) definitely ruled out. Doubts also remain over several players who were laid low with flu this week, including Lithuanian midfielder Karolis Chvedukas and centre back Brian Gartland.

Sean Hoare is also likely to miss out having limped out of Sunday’s defeat to Cork City with a hamstring problem although Sean Gannon could return having picked up a knock in last Wednesday’s 2-1 victory over Brentford B.

Kenny said the shape of his side for Friday night would depend on what happened over the next few days with Robbie Benson and Krisztián Adorján amongst those also struggling with flu at present.

‘We’ll have to assess things over the next few days,’ said the manager.

‘We’d hope Sean Gannon will be back and we’ll see about Brian Gartland. Dean Jarvis could be back too but it looks like we’ll lose Sean Hoare so we’ll have to see how we are in that regard

‘I don’t know about Karolis. He’s in bed. The doc was with him over the last few days and he hasn’t been able to leave the room. He has been really knocked for six so we’ll have to wait and see.’

Kenny admitted that pre-season hadn’t gone as well as he had hoped on the injury front.

‘I never tend to get carried away with pre-season. We’ve had some very good matches but it has taken its toll on us as well because we’ve taken some knocks in the matches. We’ve got to assess that as well.

‘Sean Gannon being hacked down the other night against Brentford when he was running through, John Mountney pulling on a ball against Drogheda and doing a medial. These are things you can’t legislate for.

‘It’s different issues than we had last year but we still have a bit of work to do and I’m under no illusions that we still have a bit of work to do.

‘We’ve just got to focus on one game at a time and make sure we’re ready for Bray this week. We have a very strong squad and you’ll see Krisztián Adorján and Karolis Chvedukas making a big impression.

‘They’ll be important for us as well with lots of energy. They’re different players. One is an absolute footballer and the other covers absolutely every metre on the pitch. They’ll do well for us I feel. Obviously Patrick Hoban is getting fitter.

‘We have a bit of work to do still. I do acknowledge that. With the few setbacks that we’ve had we’ve to get the shape right but I’m confident we can do that.’

Kenny said he won’t be taking Dave Mackey’s side lightly on Friday.

‘Bray won here last year,’ he said.

‘It was a controversial one with two penalties given against us in one half. It’s one that we can’t take for granted. We have to make sure we’re ready because we’ve had a bit of misfortune in the pre-season with some things you can’t legislate for so we’ve got to get ourselves ready.’

Looking ahead to the new season, Kenny said he didn’t think it would be as straight forward as a title race between Dundalk and Cork this year.

‘I don’t really. I think there’s a few other variables,’ he said.

‘Shamrock Rovers are obviously very strong. Waterford have assembled quite a strong squad. You can’t discount anyone.

‘In 2013 we sort of came from nowhere from a relegation play-off to nearly winning it. A year later Cork came from well down to challenge to the last day as well so you couldn’t rule out someone doing that again because eight out of the 10 teams are full-time now and it’s a marathon season with 36 games so you couldn’t rule Derry or Sligo or St Pat’s or anyone from putting a run together.

‘It’s just that type of year I feel.

‘You would see it being very competitive and the fact teams play each other four times there will be a lot of points dropped this year. The three weakest teams are gone, Waterford are very strong so it will be a tough season.’

Looking back on Sunday’s game, Kenny said it was ‘careless’ for his side to squander a two goal half-time lead.

‘To be 2-0 up and lose 4-2 is careless in the extreme,’ he said.

‘We had a lot of players missing today and a lot of players playing out of position. To be fair Cork capitalised on it and took their goals very well so we can have no complaints.

‘We could have been three or four up at half-time and we conceded four in the second half. We had a fair bout of flu in the camp and we had four out with that. Benson couldn’t play, Gartland, Chevdukas and Krisztián Adorján played but he wasn’t well. We picked up a few injuries in the last few matches so things haven’t gone swimmingly for us. We ultimately paid the price today with a lot of players playing out of position.

‘You probably had three of your normal back four all missing and Dean Jarvis wasn’t available either so Chris Shields had to go in there. George Poynton is not a natural right back but he did very, very well and that was a plus for us really overall. It doesn’t matter who is playing where though, we shouldn’t concede four so we were careless in that regard.

‘We scored two good goals then Cork took their goals well. Obviously the first goal we conceded was a pretty poor goal from our point of view. It was just a straight ball down the middle of the defence but it is what it is, it’s the President’s Cup and from our point of view we’ve just got to make sure we’re ready for Bray this week.’

Kenny said he felt his side should have had a penalty when Pat Hoban went down under an Alan Bennett challenge with the sides tied at 2-2.

‘It looked like it was a penalty. Pat Hoban looked like he was shoved over. That was a pivotal moment but that’s the way it goes.’

Kenny reiterated his desire to add to his squad.

‘We’ll certainly add at least another two over the next week.

‘We need to add a couple all right. It’s not that we’ve ever had a big squad but we just have a few things that have hindered us at the moment. A fully fit squad in a couple of weeks you’ll look very strong so we’ve just got to get that right. We need another couple of attacking players though certainly.’