Jon Daly: 'Jake Mulraney has been playing catch up but we are starting to see the best of him'

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St Patrick’s Athletic assistant manager Jon Daly believes that the Saints are only beginning to see the best of Jake Mulraney.

Mulraney joined the Athletic from the MLS during the League of Ireland off-season and has already impressed for Tim Clancy’s men.

The Dubliner scored a stunning equaliser away to Shamrock Rovers on St Patrick’s Day and then turned on the style during Friday night’s 3-0 victory against UCD.

The 26-year-old scored in the win, and was a constant threat down the flanks against the Students.

But Daly – who was speaking in the absence of the suspended Clancy – believes the winger is only showing glimpses of what he can do.

“Jake has got raw pace and has got really good quality on both feet,” he explained. “I don’t think he has shown it yet on his right foot but he is just as good there as his left.

“He has been great in the group in terms of personality. He is a fantastic person and human being.

“It’s important that he has come in and fitted into the group and he is a very humble lad. He has real quality and his end product has a lot of positives.

“There is not much where I would say he hasn’t brought to the table but the biggest thing for him is getting up to speed.

“He missed a lot of games at the start of the season. So he has been playing catch up for a while but we are starting to see the best of him.”



The Saints also enjoyed success with Sam Curtis starring in the win, just days after the teenager played four games in as many days with Ireland at under-21 and under-19 level.

And it was that physical and mental ability to thrive in a busy schedule of games that impressed the Athletic’s assistant boss.

“At 17 he is capable of doing that,” Daly insists. “He could probably play 90 minutes every day – he is at that stage of his career.

“I’ve been more impressed with the mental side of his game rather than the physical side of it. Mentally he has been excellent.”

But Daly reckons that Curtis needs to maintain his current level if he is to keep his place in the starting XI at Richmond Park – with Swede Axel Sjoberg looking to stake his claim.

The 22-year-old came on for the full-back late on and also caught the eye in the latter stages of their 3-0 win against UCD.



“We wanted to give Axel ten minutes tonight,” Daly added. “He impressed when we played against Motherwell and Sam was away with Ireland.

“He has had to be patient and has shown that he has the quality to step up and play.

“But Sam has to remain at the level he has been at because Axel is chomping at the bit to get playing.”

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