KELLY HOPES TO BYRNE IT UP FOR BOHS
GEORGIE Kelly has paid tribute to Jason Byrne — as he tries to surpass his best goals record in a season for Bohs.
Kelly has banged in 18 in the league for the Gypsies in a breakthrough season but believes that, with seven games to go, beating Glen Crowe’s 25 in one campaign is “a bit out of reach”.
The 24-year-old doesn’t remember Crowe in his pomp but he does recall goals scored by Byrne, that other prolific Dubliner whose Gypsies best was 22 league goals in the 2009 season, a haul that hasn’t been beaten since by any Bohs man.
Kelly got to play with Byrne five years ago when the Donegal man was beginning his career at UCD.
“I played with Jason for a little bit, he was there for a year,” said Kelly. “Out of all the players I played with, he was nearly the most welcoming.
“I was only a young fella at the time, we were similar players, big centre-forwards.
Little
“He gave me loads of little tips — one I remember was how to drag a centre-half and to get a nice yard, to pull at his elbow. I remember small things like that.
“You don’t get those little tips from management or staff as it’s unique.”
Kelly has clearly learned his trade well and has won the SWAI Player of the Month for the second time since June. That has brought up the four in a row for Bohs, with Dawson Devoy and Ali Coote also recent recipients.
The achievement equals the record of tonight’s opponents Dundalk in 2016.
Kelly acknowledges that his spectacular last-minute winner against Derry last month probably earned him the recognition.
“I didn’t expect it this month,” he said. “I’d imagine it’s that goal — and the views that goal ended up getting.”
Given Keith Long’s players are scooping the awards, there is some frustration at Dalymount that they are scrapping it out for Europe in fifth place — although they remain in with a great chance of qualifying via the FAI Cup.
Kelly admitted: “It’s just frustrating trying to put it all together. We’re a really young side, that probably potentially factors into the variability of form. It’s hard to put your finger on it. It’s frustrating.
“We had six or seven games in 21 days there in the last month and we did mix it up a little bit but we have some key injuries in key positions.
Excuses
“But there are no excuses. Form has been up and down, it’s frustrating.”
Kelly points to a massive game at Dalymount tonight against his former club Dundalk, who have found form and consistency of selection and performance, and are three points behind Bohs.
“I don’t think they’re going away,” he said of the Lilywhites. “I don’t think a win would do it, I think they’ll be there until the end.
“They’re flying, I thought they were very good against (Shamrock) Rovers on Friday night, that was a great result for them because I got the sense that it was a mustwin game for them.
“To go out and perform like that was impressive. It makes this game even more important now, because they’re not far off us.
“We have a game in hand but it’s away to Rovers. So it’s a massive game, a huge game.”