Rovers away to Galway Utd 22nd June: Team News
Press Release Issued : 21 Jun 2007
TEAM NEWS
The Hoops are still without long-term injury victims Paul Shiels and Eric McGill, who were recently joined by captain Aidan Price, suffering from a broken metatarsil.
Barry Ferguson returns after a one-match ban while Danny O’Connor remains suspended. Ian Ryan and David Cassidy are both doubtful as they are suffering from the vomiting bug. Barry Murphy, following a collision during last Saturday’s FAI Ford Cup tie against Sligo Rovers, is out.
“Everyone got a bit of a fright when Barry went down last Saturday,” recalls Hoops’ boss Pat Scully. "But thankfully it wasn’t serious and he’ll be back in 2-3 weeks.
“He’s very stiff and extremely sore and will be undergoing a series of massage therapy. After that we’ll ease him back into things and make sure he fully recovers.”
Rovers’ goalkeeping coach Stephen O’Brien will replace Murphy between the posts and Scully has every confidence in the former Shelbourne, Longford Town and Bohemian goalkeeper.
“Stephen’s a goalkeeper of great experience,” he says. “Even when he came on against Sligo last Saturday he did a fine job for us and he’ll fit in very comfortably.”
WHAT SCULLY SAYS . . .
About the Hoops’ on-going injuries:
"It’s typical of what’s been happening to us all season just when we get Barry Ferguson back, Barry Murphy is out for a few weeks. We keep losing key players.
“We’ve regularly had to deal with having to be without four or five players and it’s just something we have to deal with. It’s frustrating but it’s not an excuse.”
About the FAI Ford Cup tie v Sligo Rovers:
"Last week was most disappointing. We were soft. Brittle. I know we’d some young lads out there, but they still had a job to do and the team as a whole failed to do it.
“We don’t have a big squad, and most of our players are inexperienced at this level. But it was a case of doing a steady, basic job and we simply didn’t do it last week.”
About Friday’s game against Galway United:
"Galways is a tough place to go to and they’re a tough team to play against. We’ll have to be strong enough physiaccly and mentally to go down there and do a job.
“We all have to go there as a team and as individuals and be very strong and that includes me. We want to make up for the disappointment of last week’s FAI Cup exit.”