Club set to appeal for delay in ban

ST. PATRICK’S Athletic’s French full-back, Kharim El Kheybir, is set to appeal a one-match ban, that threatens his involvement in the final of the FAI Cup on Sunday week, against Longford Town at Lansdowne Road.

Kharim accumulated eight penalty points for yellow card offences, and the ban is due to come into force next week. To miss such a big game as the cup final seems a harsh penalty, and St. Pat's will push hard to have the penalty delayed.

Said St. Pat's manager Eamonn Collins: “We will base our appeal on several counts, and we are hopeful that the disciplinary board will accept our argument.”

St. Pat's have matches to play to catch up with their opponents, and Collins admitted that their Cup run had been a distraction as they chased points, in an attempt to maintain pressure on Shelbourne.

But you can bet he would not swap places at this point with the League Cup already won, and 90 minutes and Longford Town separating them from the Cup.

St. Pat’s and Bohemians will seek to repeat their classic Cup semi-final contest, when they meet at Richmond Park tonight (7.45) with vital League points at stake. Neither can afford to lose any more ground to Shels, who are eight points clear at the top.

Bohs, beaten 4-3 in that semi-final epic, have midfielder Stephen Caffrey doubtful with a calf strain, picked up in Monday's 1-1 draw with Drogheda United at Dalymount Park. Fergal Harkin is on stand-by if Caffrey fails a late fitness test, while Paul Keegan is expected to replace Robbie Doyle up front.

George O’Callaghan will return to strengthen the Cork City attack ahead of their busy week-end of matches against Drogheda United tonight, and St. Patrick's Athletic on Monday.

O’Callaghan missed the drawn game against Shelbourne because of suspension, and Cork did well to draw with the eircom League leaders, given that their leading goal-scorer, John O'Flynn, was also missing.

O'Flynn is recovering from a damaged knee ligament injury, and Cork manager Pat Dolan said he was facing up to the possibility of not having the dynamic centre-forward back before the end of the season.

“As manager of the team I would want him back in the team yesterday,” said Dolan, “but I must also acknowledge the need to protect him because he has a long career ahead of him, and we cannot do anything now that might jeopardise that.”

O'Flynn, who also missed Ireland's U21 international match in Switzerland because of the injury, was back running in recent weeks, but was unable to kick the ball without suffering discomfort. The injury was diagnosed as a minor tear of a ligament at the back of the knee.

Said Dolan: “His rehabilitation has been very, very good and his attitude is spot-on but we have to be guided by the medical people. It is potentially a very, very serious injury, and we will do everything to try and help him recover without having to undergo surgery.”

The two match programme over the next four days will test the strength in depth of the Cork panel, and Dolan said: “Our young players like Kevin Murray are getting invaluable experience, and we have other youngsters like Ian Fraher from Clonmel who's been scoring goals for the U17 team, and I will not hesitate to put them in if necessary.”

Drogheda United have shown an improvement in recent weeks under new manager Paul Doolin, but they have a long way to go before they can consider themselves safe from relegation. They are just two points ahead of Derry, who are second from bottom, and have one game extra played.

Shelbourne will play Shamrock Rovers at Tolka Park tonight (7.45pm), and will have to plan without defenders Eoin Heary and Kevin Doherty, who are suspended.

But manager Pat Fenlon has Dave Crawley, Dave Rogers, and Jamie Harris to choose from even though Welshman Harris has staked a claim for a striking role after scoring against UCD and Cork City.

Rovers expect to be without their centre-back Stephen McGuinness because of an ankle injury.