D-day for Liam after freak injury
Peasy’s three top scorers missing for St Roch’s cup tie
IT’S not so much the trauma of his dislocated fibula that has left Petershill ace Liam Finnigan devastated as the prospect of sitting out crunch back-toback cup games against St Roch’s and Bonnyrigg Rose.
SportTimes caught up with the 27-year-old for a progress report on the freak injury sustained in last weekend’s 1-0 defeat of Shettleston at New Petershill Park and he was in typically positive mood despite being on crutches and with his right leg in a splint.
Liam said: “I was the centre of attraction at the Royal Infirmary on Saturday evening with doctors arriving from everywhere in order to examine this injury which none of them had ever seen before.
“Morphine was keeping me relatively pain-free but I did shudder at the noise that came from my leg when a specialist manipulated the bone back into place.
“I felt better immediately and having my leg put in a splint rather than a plaster cast was also a great relief as it gives me hope I might be back playing sooner rather than later.
“D-day is tomorrow when I visit a knee clinic where the full extent of any ligament damage will be revealed, however I’m keeping my spirits up by targeting a comeback in early March.”
The former Campsie Black Watch ace can vividly recall the circumstances that led to him being stretchered off in obvious distress.
He said: “I won a race to get to the ball first and knocked it forward but my leg then stayed planted while the rest of my body moved forward and the pain I felt was excruciating.
“It’s not an experience experience I want to go through again.”
The old adage saying it never rains but it pours came home to Peasy boss Willie Patterson on Monday night when a 5-3 friendly match victory over Rossvale was marred by another injury blow after frontman Chris Hall damaged his hamstring.
The gaffer said: “That’s our three top scorers, Jason Hardie, Chrissy and, of course, Liam all sidelined going into two vital cup games.”
THE new Coin Holdings West of Scotland Cup clash of the Glasgow near neighbours at the James McGrory Stadium promises to be a no-holds barred encounter, even though St Roch’s boss Andy Cameron was at pains to play down the significance of the second round tie last night.
He said: “I’m looking forward to the game from the viewpoint that it will be good for our players to test themselves against a very good team, however winning on Sat- urday will not alter my opinion that promotion is this club’s number one aim this season.”
Cameron is not graced with numbers for his selection hand with, the influential John Sweeney rated extremely doubtful along with Danny Irvine.
The Candy boss said: “On top of everything else, Jordan Halsman and Stevie Logan are both cup-tied through playing for Shettleston. I reckon we will struggle to have more than 14 available players.
“On the bright side, Martin Shields and Dom Fabers both resumed training in midweek following long lay-offs and they will be challenging for jerseys before too long.”