Bohemians manager Pete Mahon has given Trevor Molloy until Sunday evening to earn his place in the panel for next week's Champions League second leg against Halmstad in Sweden.
The former St Francis boss said yesterday that he and the player had had a number of talks about the situation over the last few days and that "we're both entirely clear about where we stand. If he can show the sort of form we both know he can produce then I want him in Sweden with us, if not then that's another story."
Molloy scored a penalty last night in the President's Cup final with Shelbourne. Shelbourne tied the game with a penalty of their own in the second half and normal-time ended with the sides still tied at 1-1. Bohemians finally won 4-3 on penalties.
Molloy has missed all three of this season's European matches because of a suspension imposed after his sending-off against Kaiserslautern last year. There have been rumours regarding his position at Bohemians over the summer months, particularly after injury prevented the Dubliner from starting pre-season training at the same time as the rest of his team-mates. The 24-year-old has also been linked with a move back to his former club, St Patrick's Athletic, but Mahon maintains that he is keen to keep Molloy as long as he, in turn, is prepared to give his all for the club.
Mahon insists, meanwhile, that the tie against the Swedes is still far from dead although he does concede that his players now face an uphill task after losing the home leg 2-1 on Wednesday night. "I'd love to be going there with a lead," he says, "but that's not the situation so we just have to get on with it".
Having seen his side create a succession of good scoring chances in Dalymount this week Mahon is confident that the Dubliners can score out there. Understandably, however, he is wary that the Swedes, who looked extremely effective on the break in the first leg, may once again punish his side's defensive lapses.
"The manner in which we gave away the goals the other night was probably the most disappointing thing. It was uncharacteristic of us to slip up through the centre like that - so that's a concern but, being perfectly honest about it, there was only a short spell after their second goal when I thought that they genuinely looked a better side than us so I wouldn't rule anything out next week."
