Adrian ready for derby season
Wednesday February 24 2010
ST PAT'S Donabate manager Adrian Henchy believes his team can do well this season as they prepare to take on Naomh Mearnog in next Sunday's Division 4 league opener. Naomh Mearnóg are a club on a high at the moment, with their first team having won their Division 3 promotion play-off final against Clann Na Gael Fontenoy recently.
And they go into the game with a slight psychological advantage after their Under21's defeated Donabate in the quarter-final en route to clinching the 'C' championship.
'Their big midfielder did a lot of damage that day and we just couldn't cope with him. A lot of our Under-21's are involved on Sunday, but we will be missing Paul Tyrell who left for London this week for work and his versatility will be a big loss to the team,' commented Henchy during the week.
Henchy conceded that they will probably have to make do without the services of their under-21 star Dinny Corcoran (who is on loan from Sporting Fingal to Shelbourne) with the soccer season due to start next month, while Parnells promotion to the top flight means that Pat's will also be without Gary and Niall Collins for the foreseeable future.
'For a club of our size we can ill afford to do without players of their quality. The two Collins are doing well with Parnells but with the influx of players into Parnells recently the squeeze may be put on them in terms of securing a place in the starting fifteen.
'It would be fantastic to have them back but good luck to them there.'
Henchy is no stranger to the big time himself having featured in goals on the all conquering Na Fianna team that won the three-in-a-row in the early nineties under former Dublin manager, Paul Caffrey.
But the Donabate man is now relishing his new challenge along with selectors Austin Shields, Kevin McGill and Derek Keogh.
'It's going to be a steep learning curve for us. We have concentrated on the specifics in pre season training.
'We also have Mark Whelan coming back to the squad after a spell with St Vincent's. His attitude to the game is terrific while Thomas Murphy (full back) and Jesse Corcoran (older brother of Dinny) at centre back are the spine of the defence.
'We also have Brian Berrigan, Mick and John Linders and Brian Kelly who will be key players for us this year'
'There are some tough games ahead of us and the fact that half the teams are from the Fingal area means we will be involved in a lot of derby games. Overall I'm very optimistic. We are a growing club and we have put in some good structures at underage level.'
- RORY KERR
