Soccer

League of Ireland previews: No rest likely for St Patrick’s as league rejects appeal

Manager Stephen Kenny disappointed over league’s refusal to postpone Dundalk fixture just days before Saints’ important Conference League tie in Turkey

St Patrick's Athletic manager Stephen Kenny applauds the fans after the draw against Basaksehir in the Europa Conference League play-off round, first leg clash at Tallaght Stadium. Photograph: Brain Lawless/PA Wire.
Gavin Cummiskey
Fri Aug 23 2024 - 14:39
Dundalk v St Patrick’s Athletic, Oriel Park, Sunday, 3.0

St Patrick’s Athletic’s hopes of getting Sunday’s refixed Premier Division clash away to Dundalk moved to a future date to aid their hopes of making the Conference League group stages look set to be rejected.

Dundalk refused a request to do so as they are mired in a relegation battle with their great rivals Drogheda United. Their manager Jon Daly coached St Patrick’s Athletic until he was sacked last May and replaced by Stephen Kenny.

St Pat’s are on the cusp of reaching the group stages of the Uefa Conference League for the first time in their history but they must travel to Dundalk in between a six-day turnaround from Thursday’s 0-0 draw with Basaksehir FK in Tallaght and the second leg in Istanbul next Wednesday.

“It is difficult, the Turkish league have cancelled [domestic] games for European teams, they prioritised qualifying for the group stages,” said Kenny. “If you are serious and ambitious, that’s what you do.”

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Kenny noted that in 2016 his Dundalk team had league fixtures postponed to help them progress to the Europa League group stages.

“We wouldn’t have qualified only for [former League director] Fran Gavin cancelling a few matches for us at that time. Basaksehir have a rest, we’ve a game in 5¾ days but we’ve got to a game in between.

“Some people think I’m complaining, I know more than anyone, I’ve been involved in more European games as a manager. Once you get to the group, get on with it. But we need help getting to the group, it’s hugely difficult for Irish clubs, we need all the support we can get.”

The FAI’s League of Ireland director, Mark Scanlon, indicated on Thursday night in Tallaght that he is unlikely to accommodate St Pat’s despite the fixture being worth at least €3.7 million to the club. In fact, St Pat’s can earn more than the entire League of Ireland prize fund of €765,000 by winning two group games in the Conference League (€800,000).

The league’s participation agreement states that the director can postpone a game 24 hours before kick-off if it is “deemed in the best interests of the league or the FAI”.

The FAI have refused to comment but The Irish Times understands that the league office is not for budging despite the magnitude of next Wednesday’s tie at the Fatih Terim Stadium. In the Uefa club coefficient Basaksehir are ranked 56th, a full 291 places ahead of St Pat’s.

“We’re still very much in the tie going to Istanbul,” Kenny added. “We’re a little disappointed not to have won it.

“We lost Romal Palmer to injury for a few weeks so that puts a bit of pressure on us collectively. There is nothing we can do. I have made the point, we can’t prepare properly.”

Dundalk currently lie in the relegation playoff spot, two points clear of Drogheda and eight points behind St Pat’s.

Shamrock Rovers' Trevor Clarke picked up an injury against PAOK so the full back is unlikely to feature on Sunday evening. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho
Shamrock Rovers v Galway United, Tallaght Stadium, Sunday, 7.0

Shamrock Rovers have no complaints about fulfilling this important Premier Division fixture in between their two-legged Europa League playoff against PAOK following Thursday’s 4-0 loss in Thessaloniki.

Unless Rovers put five goals past the Greek champions next Thursday in Tallaght, Stephen Bradley’s squad go into the Uefa Conference League draw, which takes place in Monaco on Friday. They could be joined by Chelsea, Copenhagen and possibly St Patrick’s Athletic.

Trevor Clarke picked up an injury against PAOK so the full back is unlikely to feature on Sunday evening, although Danny Mandroiu is set to make his first start since arriving from Lincoln City.

Rovers and Galway United are both on 38 points, although the defending champions have a game in hand that they must win to have a realistic chance of capturing a fifth successive league title.

United’s outstanding campaign suffered a blow last weekend when they were knocked out of the FAI Cup by Shelbourne, losing a penalty shoot-out 5-3. But John Caulfield’s side remain in contention to qualify for European football next season.

Gavin Cummiskey

Gavin Cummiskey

Gavin Cummiskey is The Irish Times' Soccer Correspondent