Dolan furious at treatment of City and O’Flynn
O’Flynn, who scored for the Republic of Ireland’s U21 side at Turners Cross last Monday in the 2-2 friendly draw with Germany, is in Don Givens’ squad again for tonight’s UEFA Championship qualifier against Albania at Dalymount Park.
Across town, his club will be taking on St Patrick’s Athletic at Richmond Park (7.45) looking for goals and league points to get them back in the premier division title hunt. The City boss is angry that his star striker will be unavailable, accusing the league of ignoring City’s appeal to move the St Pat’s game back to Sunday.
“Why isn’t John O’Flynn allowed to play,” Dolan asked.
“Because our football association and our league have said this league just does not matter. There’s no way that what’s happened to John O’Flynn over the last two weeks should have been allowed to happen.
"He’s been up and down to Dublin and he should never have been made to go through what he did last weekend, playing for his club on Saturday night and then his country on Monday afternoon.
“The guy’s got so much character he can come through it but now, to say he can’t play against St Pat’s, which is a vital game and which he wants to play in, because they wouldn’t move the game back to Sunday is just appalling.
“We asked for the game to be put back weeks ago, as soon as we had notification. We still haven’t been told that it’s out of the question and we’re still fighting for it to happen but it’s a bit late now.
"But I thought with (new FAI chief executive) Fran Rooney coming on board and with the Genesis report that this sort of stuff wouldn’t happen any more. But it has.
“This is all created by the FAI and the Eircom League. In the North, on international dates, they cancel all the fixtures, but they just don’t bother down here.
"They don’t actually believe in and don’t have the confidence in their own players that anyone could ever be good enough. They don’t really believe in Irish football.”
O’Flynn’s absence will be a huge loss to City, without a win in the league since April 26.
Of the players available to Dolan, midfielder Kevin Doyle is struggling to be fit to face St Pat’s, having lasted only 30 minutes of last Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at Drogheda, while defender Dan Murray is also a doubt with a calf injury.
St Pat’s, who beat Bohs, have a fully-fit squad and welcome back midfielder Paul Osam after he missed the win with a knee injury.
A similar problem will keep Glen Crowe out of action for both the Republic of Ireland and Bohs.
The League champions cross Dublin to take on bottom club UCD tonight (7.45) but will be without Crowe until the home game with Longford Town on June 13 UCD boss Paul Doolin gives late fitness tests to midfielder Gavin Whelan and defender Darragh Ryan.
Drogheda United could stick with the side that beat Cork City last weekend when they take on Shamrock Rovers at 02 Park (8.00). The only doubt is centre-back Pat Scully, who faces a late fitness test.
Rovers welcome back Trevor Molloy.
