Debutant Kenny ‘has a lot of great attributes’

BRIAN Gartland hadn’t even won the first of five league titles when he first met Eoin Kenny but on Monday night, along with Liam Burns, he handed him his Dundalk debut off the bench against Bohemians.

While the now 18-year-old son of Stephen Kenny was unable to find the equaliser that the Lilywhites were chasing in nine minutes of added time at Dalymount Park, Gartland feels the St Mary’s College student has what it takes to have an impact for the club over the coming weeks having overcome an illness which has curtailed his involvement in recent weeks.

“Eoin has come back having been out for a couple of weeks and he has trained really well in the last week,” Gartland said of the young striker.

“He has a lot of great attributes and it’s great to see him get his debut. He’s one of those players as well that has the knack of being in the right place at the right time so myself and Liam were hoping one might drop to him.

“One does drop in the box to I think it was Dara Keane but it’s just that split second we’re away from pulling the trigger from seven yards out but it’s brilliant for Eoin and I’m delighted for him. He works so hard. His work ethic is incredible on and off the pitch so he duly deserved that tonight.” The club’s Head of Football Operations – who ruled himself out of contention for the job on Friday – also said it was a huge blow to lose Robbie Mahon to injury. The 20-year-old limped off on the hour mark following a challenge by Dylan Connolly having been causing Bohs plenty of problems up until then. He left Dalymount Park in a protective boot but Gartland said the extent of the injury wouldn’t be known for a few days.

“I think Robbie has been excellent,” he said.

“He gives us great pace and directness. We’ve asked him to play out on the left when he probably would have been more familiar recently with playing on the right. He stretches the game and he stretches their defence which might cause a few more gaps. “On the injury, we’re hoping that in a day or two it might be nothing or it could be something. I thought he has been excellent but I think they’ve all been excellent.”