1 week Ago By Owen Cowzer
STEPHEN KENNY has completed his winter shopping — with his priority now ensuring everyone is fit for the start of the season. St Patrick’s Athletic are well into their pre-season training regime and play their third Leinster Senior Cup game in a week tomorrow before travelling to a camp in Spain . And Saints boss Kenny is pleased that everyone will be in full training for it, with teenage striker Mason Melia now involved after a back problem kept him out of action to date.
Kenny said: “Mason was back training on Tuesday. It was his first session since the end of last season. “He had an issue with his back which he had to rest but he’s back now.
” Kenny is confident that Melia, 17, will be ready for the season opener against Drogheda United on February 14, though he will not feature against Athlone Town tomorrow night. But new signing Seán Hoare — who missed the back end of last season for Shamrock Rovers through injury — will make his first appearance of pre-season, as will playmaker Romal Palmer. And with that trio back to fitness, Dubliner Kenny confirmed he has no plans to bring in anyone else before the beginning of the 2025 campaign.
He added: “We’ve made minimal changes. Conor Carty came in late. He’s been here before and he’s a great lad.
We signed Barry Baggley, Seán Hoare and Simon Power early. “We kept a lot of what we had last year too, which was important.” It all comes on the back of a brilliant end to last season as Pat’s made a late charge to secure third place and a spot in the Conference League qualifiers .
And that form has continued in pre-season as Tuesday night’s 2-1 win over Bray Wanderers in the Leinster Senior Cup equalled the 70-year old club record for 13 wins in a row. That sort of run means Kenny’s outfit are never far from the conversation about who can win the title. But the former Ireland gaffer — who has won five titles with Bohemians and Dundalk previously — believes it will be a tight race this season.
Kenny added: “There are lots of good teams this year. Teams are signing a lot of players, with several internationals at different clubs and players from other parts of the world. “Shelbourne won the league and will go again.
Shamrock Rovers won the previous four, are in the Conference League and are very strong. “Derry have signed a lot of international players and finished second for a few years in a row. Bohemians too .
. . there may be no more than a goal in it in any of them.
“Cork, Waterford , Galway , Sligo and Drogheda United, who we play on the first day, have strengthened. “It’s going to be a very competitive league this year. The bar has been raised right throughout and that’s a good thing.
” But Kenny is pleased with where his team are at the moment after their first two games back saw wins over Inchicore Athletic and Bray. They will wrap up their Leinster Senior Cup group phase tomorrow with a ‘home’ clash against Athlone to be played at Ballyfermot United’s ground. Kenny welcomed the choice of venue, believing it is important to move around the community as the club put in small upgrades at Richmond Park.
New dugouts are being installed as well as new LED floodlights and a new PA system. Seats have also been removed from a section of the main stand to accommodate safe standing. The pitch has been worked on through the winter with a decent surface ready despite the recent bad weather .
Pat’s will next play at their Emmet Road home on February 7 in their final pre-season friendly against UCD. Kenny added: “We have a very good ground staff who were here before and they have the pitch in great condition. “We won’t play on it again until the week before the season against UCD.
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