With his players due to kick off their title defence at home to Shamrock Rovers this evening, Pat Fenlon was rewarded yesterday for last year's eircom League success and his handling of the financial troubles that followed immediately after it with a two-year extension to his Shelbourne contract.
Fenlon, initially hired by the club to succeed Dermot Keely on a one-year deal, has been handed the job until the end of the 2006 season. "I've always said to the players that if they work hard the rewards will come and I view this in exactly the same way," said the club's former skipper.
While announcing the deal, and that JW Hire will be the club's new main sponsors, Ollie Byrne also said he now expected the Morton stadium in Santry to become the club's long-term home. The club sold an option to buy Tolka Park late last year, but a proposed move to Finglas has since fallen through.
The club has had a number of offers in relation to the building of a new ground, but Byrne said that Santry, which the club is already using for training, suits the team's needs and offers the opportunity for the club to develop.
He did not specify when he expected the move to be completed.
Fenlon, meanwhile, goes into this evening's game against Rovers with plenty of quality at his disposal but precious little width to play with. In the wake of the departure of the two Baker brothers, and with both Wes Hoolahan and Ollie Cahill suspended, the Shelbourne boss will have to do a little bit of improvising out on the flanks as the champions face their southside rivals.
Dave Rogers is also suspended, while there is also a doubt about Alan Cawley, the player whose move from UCD has sparked a row over compensation. League officials declined to comment yesterday on whether the midfielder can play this evening.
Liam Buckley, one suspects, would gladly settle for Fenlon's problems, for the Rovers coach must hope some hectic preparations with some very new faces over the past couple of weeks have produced a team capable of competing with the champions on the campaign's opening night. Aside from the suspended Trevor Molloy, however, he does at least have a full squad to choose from.
"It's been very much about reshaping things from where we were at," said Buckley, whose recent signings include long-time Cork City goalkeeper Noel Mooney and former Bohemians winger Mark Rutherford. "The new lads have added a bit of quality to the squad," he added, "but we lost a lot of players, and so other than to say that, rather than ending up at the very top or the very bottom we'll be somewhere in between come the end of the season, I wouldn't be making any predictions at this stage."
Rovers' five close season arrivals are all in line to make debuts, whereas Cork City's Stephen O'Flynn and Brendan Sweeney have to watch their new club's first outing of the season from the stand. The pair are suspended for the visit of Dublin City. Dan Murray and Michael Nwanko are also doubtful for the game with minor injuries.
Pat Dolan feels his side may still be just a little short of what is required to go all the way.
"I'm pleased that we're stronger than last year and we've certainly added quality to the squad," he says. "I'm still not entirely sure, though, that we have the mental or physical strength to win the league."
Newly promoted City travel south without five suspended players and with the vastly experienced Tony O'Connor injured.
Derry, though, are even worse off than that with Gavin Dykes' side without six suspended and perhaps two injured for their game in Inchicore. Clive Delaney misses the game at his former club while Peter Hutton, Eamon Doherty and Gary Beckett are among the others definitely out.
In the other game of the night Waterford's Alan Reynolds is without both Wayne Fitzgerald (suspended) and Mark Clifford (ankle) while the player manager is doubtful himself with a back strain. Drogheda have Declan O'Brien suspended while Stephen Gray and Aidan Lynch are injured.
