Following their third win in succession last week tfk take to Pitch 3 in Sandymount (tonight 7pm) looking to cement their place in the upper echelons of the league table. However, as has become the norm it’s yet again an incredibly depleted squad that will be donning the sacred DART green jersey. Skipper, Rocko, is still a week away from a return with his nagging ankle injury. ClarkeyCat is set for a 3 week spell on the sidelines following a recurrence of his thigh strain in his comeback game last week while the other frontman, the mouthy Juhniallio, is yet to overcome a persistent groin problem. Speaking of groins the imposing central defensive presence of Tinnion will also be missing with the dead ball specialist having picked up a similar injury in training yesterday. Add to that the holidaying Ro and the awol Colly and it’s very much a makeshift squad tonight.
Such is the desperation to have a substitute that tfk management have even invited the former trialist, Clooney, along to make up the numbers. Clooney played once previously for tfk in a pre-season tournament in Raheny and was a complete and utter disgrace. Having been unable to attract any other unattached or Bosman candidates the decision was made to turn to Clooney, who has vowed that his attitude, application and respect for the jersey will be far, far better than it was on that fateful night in late July on the northside.
Though the injuries continue to mount up don’t mistake that for an excuse. The mood in the camp is determined. There’s a result in this squad.
I have a feeling that in our despair, in our darkest hours of injuries, we will find success.
That pre-season game that Clooney played in was a disaster. I’ve never witnessed a performance like that on the football field and I hope to never do so again. There are thousands of kids in this country who’d give anything to pull on the famous DART Green shirt even once. Clooney got that opportunity and he showed utter conempt for his management, his agent, his team-mate and most of all the fans and forum members.
Who’d have thought he’d get another chance? Still in an era when Kenny Miller and Steven Pressley can play for Celtic anything can happen when needs must. He can’t be that bad again, can he?
A heartbreaking 2-1 defeat. Too upset to write any more on it. The gaffer, Rocko, can provide more detail when he arrives back from the post match press conference. Gutted. http://www.thefreekick.com/board/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cool.gif
That was absolutely devestating. I’m gutted for the boys. They put everything in tonight and left nothing behind them on the field.
I don’t want to come here every week and talk about near misses and hard luck stories and fortunately that hasn’t been the case too often yet this season. But tonight was just one of those nights. Injuries are no excuse and to be fair the lads who played all did well, but we just ran out of steam. I think Gerrardno1 made a point on here before on one of the gambling threads about not usually placing bets in the first round of fixtures after the internationals because tiredness makes some games a lottery. That was certainly the case in Sandymount tonight.
Ultimately our effort tonight wasn’t enough but I can’t fault it at all. From 1-7 the boys were magnificent and I include Clooney in that. Special word for Bandage though - performances like that don’t deserve to end up with a defeat.