NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS:AFTER AN eventful close season, Bohemians manager Pat Fenlon presented a handful of new signings to the media in Malahide yesterday. Matt Gregg, Brian Shelley and Paul Keegan were formally unveiled yesterday, along with Joseph Ndo who, if he plays in Dundalk on Friday night, will follow in his manager's footsteps by playing in the league for all four big Dublin clubs.
While Fenlon is one of quite a few locals to have achieved the distinction, Cameroon’s Ndo will be the first international player to complete the set. The 32-year-old says he has joined Bohemians because he believes, under Fenlon, the team can repeat last year’s double success as well as making a significant impact on the Champions League this season.
“I know last season they won the double and I hope we can deliver it again . . . Also we need to go into European games as if they were against Cork or Derry, looking to win and to try to advance to the group stage. I know what Pat’s ambition is and it is up to us to help him to fulfil that challenge, to be in Europe; to win the league, to win the cup and everything else.”
Home Farm have signed a three-year deal with English Premier League side Portsmouth who will provide “significant” financial support and extensive coaching expertise to the Dublin schoolboy outfit. Portsmouth’s director of youth operations, Paul Hart, who is in charge of the first team as well, was at Whitehall yesterday for the launch of the partnership which will involve the English club effectively having first refusal on young Home Farm players.
“This association is intended to allow us to recruit some of the best young players from Ireland,” said Hart, who had previously brought players like Gary Kelly, Ian Harte, Stephen McPhail and John Thompson to England during his time with Leeds United and then Nottingham Forest thanks, in no small part, to a long-standing friendship with veteran Home Farm coach Paddy Hilliard.
The first Home Farm player to go to Fratton Park will be 16-year-old striker Carl Walshe from Cabra who will sign as an apprentice for the club on July 1st.
“It’s like a dream come true,” said Walshe yesterday. “I went over a couple of times and played in a couple of games after which Mark Chamberlin and Paul Hart said they were interested in signing me. It’s just unbelievable.”
Hart describes Walshe as “intelligent, not short of pace and with good technique. “He’s got a lot of developing to do but he’s got a chance of becoming a really good player”, and Portsmouth, he insists, is the sort of club that can provide players like Walshe with a route to top-flight first-team football in England.
Meanwhile, Dundalk were expected to complete the signing of former Cork City midfielder George O’Callaghan last night. O’Callaghan could make his debut for Seán Connor’s side in this evening’s Jim Malone Cup game at United Park where Declan O’Brien looks likely to feature against his former club.
Galway United, who have signed Seán Kelly on loan from Cork City and under-21 international Gary Breen, have announced Jay Tabb will be captain for the season. Greg O’Halloran has rejoined Cork City on a one-year deal.
