Robinson: Kipre not unsettled by Hull bid
Boss McInnes insists seeing Devlin back on the pitch after his 13- month injury nightmare was a highlight of Aberdeen’s tour in Cork.
The defender has been out since sustaining a cruciate ligament injury in Hamilton’s league win over Dundee in May 2017.
And Devlin, 24, made his comeback with an hour’s run-out for Dons in the win over Cobh, getting off to a winning start thanks to Chris Forrester’s 62nd-minute goal.
The former Accies stopper signed for the Pittodrie men in January on a pre-contract and opted to do his rehab in the Granite City.
McInnes said: “I was delighted to see Mikey on the pitch again.
“He will probably take a breath now because it’s not often players have to wait six months for their debut.
“He has hardly kicked a ball in two seasons but we know what he’s capable of. The chance is there for him, he has to try to nail down a spot.
“He made a good decision wanting to be here and do his rehab here, it allowed him time to get integrated within our dressing-room.”
McInnes handed debuts to ex- Hami lton duo Lewis Ferguson and Devlin while new signings Forrester and Stephen Gleeson started on the bench.
The Scots piled on the pressure and Graeme Shinnie and Ferguson came close either side of a Devlin header that flashed across the face of goal.
Adam Rooney had a strong penalty shout blanked when he was upended as he tried to pull the trigger and the Irish hitman also rattled the post with a header.
Aberdeen finally made the breakthrough their play deserved in 62 minutes.
Gary Mackay- Steven’s cross fell to Bruce Anderson who cut the ball back to Shinnie at the edge of the area. He laid it into Forrester’s
Stephen Robinson is adamant Cedric Kipre is happy at Motherwell despite the club turning down a bid for the young defender from Hull.
Kipre played the second half in yesterday’s testimonial match in Belfast with the travelling support imploring him to stay at the final whistle after new signing Danny Johnson had clinched a narrow victory.
The 21-year-old’s future will depend on whether Hull or any club meets Motherwell ’s £ 1mi l l ion valuation. Boss executive Alan Burrows said: “If you think of some of the players in Scotland who have moved recently, particularly defenders, it has been in that price bracket.
“Cedric is 21 and in terms of statistical performance he was as good as any centre-back in Scotland last season.
“He is an Ivory Coast international and one of our most prized assets so it will take a lot of money to get him.”
It is also understood there is interest in keeper Trevor Carson while midfielder Chris Cadden is a target for Wigan and Millwall but Burrows confirmed no offers have come in yet for either player.
Robinson is keen to add a striker having already made five new signings including yesterday’s matchwinner Johnson, who scored from close range in the dying moments of the testimonial for Crusaders record goalscorer Jordan Owens.
Robinson said: “It was important for Danny to score in his first game. I have made an offer for two strikers and we’ll see what happens.”