Furious Fenlon issues EA Cup final threat

ANGRY Bohemians boss Pat Fenlon may field a reserve team in next Saturday’s televised showpiece EA League Cup final against Waterford United at the RSC after his club was ordered to play their rearranged Premier Division league game against Derry City at the Brandywell on the following Tuesday.

That Derry game comes just three days before the crunch Premier Division clash with Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium and means a hectic schedule of three away games in seven days.

“We are going to have to look at this situation. Without being disrespectful to the League Cup, or to Waterford, or EA, I don’t think it’s going to be the kind of game they’re expecting, to be honest,” said Fenlon.

The Bohemians boss will not be making any official protest even though he says had been given assurances that the Derry game, originally scheduled for this Friday, would not be played on Tuesday week.

“What’s the point in protesting? You’re talking to the wall, so there’s no point. It doesn’t surprise me. The problem is that you have to take into account what you’re asking players to do, and it’s dangerous.

“You’re asking players to travel to games the length and breadth of the country. The Waterford game is on a Saturday, not a Friday, and we’ve given up home advantage to go to Waterford to make a spectacle of the game.

“But what can I do? It doesn’t surprise me. It’s like moving the chairs around, you’ve still got the same people running it. It’s not going to change. Surprisingly some of the people involved have played the game so they should know better.”

Fenlon will not reveal what top individual gave him an assurance that the Derry game would be moved for fear of having another fine imposed on him.

“I’m not going to say, I got a fine for talking my mind on the MNS show so I won’t give people the credence to go and fine me again.

“We haven’t got any money here so I’ll have to pay that myself but it’s very disappointing the way we’ve been treated.

“The players at this club, over the last two years in particular, have given tremendous entertainment to the fans in this league and represented the club in Europe, and to be treated the way they’ve been treated this week is scandalous.”

Fenlon claims it would not be disrespectful to field an under-strength side in the EA Cup final against Waterford on Saturday. “I’m not disrespectful. I have the height of regard for Waterford United, they’re a fantastic football club. Stephen Henderson has done a fantastic job wherever he’s been and he’s a great manager and a good friend.

“I’m not being disrespectful to anyone in Waterford but I’ve got to look after what we’ve got to look after and that’s what I’ll be doing.”

Meanwhile Shamrock Rovers’ kept up the heat on Bohs as they stormed back from a 1-0 half-time deficit to see off Bray Wanderers at Tallaght Stadium.

They now trail the champions by just a point.

Bray took a shock lead just 16 minutes, after Barry Johnston’s goalline clearance fell to Dave Webster and the centre half sent a shot beyond Alan Mannus into the roof of the net.

Rovers hit back on 56 minutes. Pat Sullivan’s short corner caught Bray napping and O’Connor’s cross found Stephen Rice who slid the ball home.

On 66 minutes Rovers were ahead. O’Connor’s cross took a touch of Chris Deans allowing Twigg to head home.

Rovers made it safe on 74 minutes as O’Connor again found Twigg from Stephen Bradley’s cross and the Scotsman finished clinically.