Dunleavy ready to return for Rebels

He might have missed the past month due to a nasty ankle injury, but Cork City’s Mr Versatile John Dunleavy is back in training and raring to go.

The Donegal man damaged ligaments when losing balance in the disappointing defeat to UCD back on August 17.

But he is back to full fitness and even hopeful of making the squad for tomorrow night’s game at Bohemians.

“It’s going alright, thankfully. It’s starting come together again. It’s been a very long few weeks and a bit of a slow process but I’m getting there.

“I was hoping this year would be my first real injury free year and I’d get a clear run at it but unfortunately it didn’t work out.

“Hopefully now I’m on the right track and I’ll be back fairly soon,” he said.

Adding: “It’ll be close whether I make it or not on Friday, it’s touch and go. But I’m not too far away, I’m a lot more positive about it now than in recent weeks.”

The injury looked quite innocuous at the time; a ball on the far side of the pitch in Belfield came towards the former Wolves youngster and he went down in a heap.

But it doesn’t take a bad tackle to do serious damage, the player explaining what exactly happened:  “Basically the ball was coming towards me and I lost my balance.

“My left leg was planted in the ground and I went over on it. At the time it was very swollen and it was very sore for about a week afterwards but now I’m much better.

“It is still a little bit stiff at times, but I’m much better than I was.”

His absence has, coincidentally, seen City shoot up the table and into a Setanta Cup spot. With Bohs just a point behind, they could fall out of fifth place tomorrow night. Yet Dunleavy was keen to state how good the team have been in his absence.

“The boys have been brilliant recently, particularly with the last two results. To win up and Derry and then defeat Bray was excellent and we’ve put ourselves in a good position now and are giving ourselves a good chance to finish in fifth.

“Obviously that would get us a place in the Setanta Cup and that’s a big aim for us now. The lads are doing very well and it looks like we’re going to finish the season very strongly.”

So does he think it’ll be tough to earn a starting berth with those ahead of him hitting a late run of form?

“Ah, it has always been a battle but it’s a case of working hard and fighting my way back in,” he said.

“Before the injury I thought my season was going well enough. If I can get back to the level of training before that, then I will force my way back into the team.”

It leads to the obvious question about what position he would rather play.

Having played across the back four and also in midfield, there’s no question of his versatility but does his adaptation to a midfield role this year result in him having a preference?

“I don’t have a preference. I don’t mind playing in either and playing in midfield this year has been a great experience. Whether Tommy wants to play me at right-back, centre-back or in midfield, I’ll be more than happy to do a job wherever I’m needed.

“Once I’m playing to be honest, I’m not too fussed.”