Shelbourne 'stronger' than last year
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Shelbourne manager Dermot Keely was in a relaxed mood as he spoke to the reporters in Shels’ preseason press conference. With only seven days to go until Shels’ open their charge for promotion, home to Wexford Youths next Friday, Keely seems confident his squad has what it takes to do well.
“I’ve strengthened the squad. We are shorter in numbers but better in quality. What I’ve seen in preseason is when I replace someone on the pitch, there’s no gap in quality. You make the choice of getting in numbers, or getting in quality in smaller numbers.”
“The Premier Division is different to any other league in the world. The First Division is different from any other league in the world. We had that in mind.”
Shels’ suffered heartache last November, conceding a 93rd minute goal at Tolka Park on the final day of the season which ultimately cost the club promotion to the Premier Division. But Keely was realistic about what happened:
“People say we lost the league last year in the last minute. We didn’t, we lost it because we couldn’t kick a ball out of our way for six weeks (pointing to Shels’ dismal run during the summer). It happened to come down to the last week. I thought Dundalk were deserved winners, they lead the league for most of it. They genuinely were the best over all the games.”
Last season Sporting Fingal, this season’s strong favourites, struggled to get going and played catch up, in vain, for the rest of the campaign. Keely hopes this happens again, but “it’s one of those unknowns. It should take them a while to adapt, but reports from their preseason friendly against Derry were that they were excellent. They are a quality outfit; we have to compete with that.
“If I thought genuinely that we didn’t have a chance I wouldn’t be here. It’s not in my nature,” he added.
“I’ve strengthened the squad. We are shorter in numbers but better in quality. What I’ve seen in preseason is when I replace someone on the pitch, there’s no gap in quality. You make the choice of getting in numbers, or getting in quality in smaller numbers.”
“The Premier Division is different to any other league in the world. The First Division is different from any other league in the world. We had that in mind.”
Shels’ suffered heartache last November, conceding a 93rd minute goal at Tolka Park on the final day of the season which ultimately cost the club promotion to the Premier Division. But Keely was realistic about what happened:
“People say we lost the league last year in the last minute. We didn’t, we lost it because we couldn’t kick a ball out of our way for six weeks (pointing to Shels’ dismal run during the summer). It happened to come down to the last week. I thought Dundalk were deserved winners, they lead the league for most of it. They genuinely were the best over all the games.”
Last season Sporting Fingal, this season’s strong favourites, struggled to get going and played catch up, in vain, for the rest of the campaign. Keely hopes this happens again, but “it’s one of those unknowns. It should take them a while to adapt, but reports from their preseason friendly against Derry were that they were excellent. They are a quality outfit; we have to compete with that.
“If I thought genuinely that we didn’t have a chance I wouldn’t be here. It’s not in my nature,” he added.
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