League still primary focus for Fenlon

Following Bohemians 2-0 win against Sligo Rovers at Dalymount Park on Friday night the Phibsboro club are now just two points off the top of the table with a game in hand. And having put together a seven match unbeaten league run in which they have claimed five clean sheets they are starting to look ominously capable of claiming a third League Crown in a row.

It’s something that Bohs manager, Pat Fenlon, recognises as the clubs’ primary focus, despite the potential distraction of the upcoming away leg of their Champion’s League second round qualifier against Welsh side, New Saints, which will be played on Tuesday night. Asked if he was tempted to rest players in light of the European game he said,

“You’re tempted a little bit but, you know, tonight’s (Sligo) probably a bigger game for us than most games. We’ve got to go and win matches, we want to win the league, we want to retain it and that’s what it’s about. Tuesday will look after itself but you are tempted a little bit. Maybe we could have left out Paddy (Madden) and played Jason (Byrne) but he’s probably not ready yet. Keego (Paul Keegan) was a bit sore before the game, he’s had that niggle all season really, he’s getting a little bit of tightness in his hamstrings so he just has to be careful with it but we wanted to keep the same team tonight rather than change too much.”

The one change that Fenlon did make was to leave winger Killian Brennan on the bench, a move that seemed designed to protect a temporary lack of options in that area.

“Obviously we played Gareth (McGlynn) because we haven’t got him for Tuesday and we don’t have Anto (Murphy) either. We’re a little bit short in wide areas so we just changed it tonight and Gareth did well again for us.

And Fenlon was upbeat about his team’s prospects in Tuesday’s game.

“ We’ve given ourselves a great chance to go through. We’re one nil up, haven’t conceded a goal, so it’s important that we keep the momentum going. You know, if we don’t concede then obviously we’ll go through.”

Back to Friday night’s game, the stand out performance came from Mark Quigley who has endured a torrid time in the wake of a tackle that resulted in St Patrick’s Athletic player, Gareth Coughlan suffering a broken leg.

“ I think he dealt with it quite well, I think anybody that seen it, you know, I think it was an accident, I don’t think it was a bad tackle, it was a bad touch and he lunged into it, there wasn’t anything malicious in it, you know.”

And the Bohs boss was full of praise for a player who has started to find his best form in recent months.

“Mark has been brilliant for us for the last number of games to be fair to him. He was first class again tonight. He’s been excellent, probably over the past couple of months. He’s playing in a different position as well, we’ve played him wide on the right, wide on the left and up front off the front man so. I just think he causes teams a lot of problems on that side (the left). He has great vision, great feet, moves the ball quite well and I think what he’s learned over the last number of games is that when he gets people attracted to him he shifts the ball and gets it in, you know. So whereas earlier on he might have stayed on it a little bit long trying to do too much because he’s obviously a new player. But he’s been very, very good for us.”