Mahon focuses on FAI Cup clash
Credit:
Following Saturday night's 1-0 victory over Sligo Rovers in the Airtricity Premier League, St. Patrick's Athletic manager Pete Mahon insisted that qualifying for the FAI Cup Final is his main priority in the coming week
“The situation is that we have 21 players. At the moment we have 18 players fit. The players that didn't play tonight will play on Monday against Bohemians in the Leinster Senior Cup Final. Unfortunately we are also going to have to use one or two of them from tonight as well, which is not ideal because obviously the FAI Cup semi-final against Shelbourne is the most important game for us.”
Mahon would prefer not to have to play Monday night's Leinster Senior Cup Final against Bohemians on the same week as an FAI Cup semi final “This game on Monday night is one that we could do without, and I'm sure if you asked Pat Fenlon he'd say the same, although they don't play again until the following Sunday. We'll head over to Dalymount on Monday and get some sort of team out. We may have to use some of our under 19s as well.”
Influential midfielder Dave Mulcahy had to go off after 37 minutes because his hamstring was troubling him again. Mahon revealed his frustration about Mulcahy's injury “It was his hamstring again, which is disappointing because we have been without him for a couple of weeks now. We've spent a lot of time trying to get that injury right. It keeps coming back at him. The good thing about is that it didn't go this time. We were going to take him off at half time anyway, but we were forced to take him off earlier.”
Mahon also gave an update on his injured and sick players on a busy week for the club “Shane McFaul is very sick, but I am hoping he will be okay by next Friday. Sean O'Connor will be out for the rest of the season. Danny North, who came on tonight has come back from a hamstring injury. I'm hoping there will be no reaction. Fortunately Daryl Kavanagh got through the game for us tonight. Daryl (Kavanagh) has tendonitis. He won't be able to train during the week. We hope to have him right for Friday. We'll get two or three under 19 lads to supplement the bench on Friday” revealed the St. Pats manager.
