Doolin happy to move on from Cork chaos

PAUL DOOLIN says that he is keen to put the turmoil of his Cork City experience behind him as he takes up his new role as Republic of Ireland U23 manager.

Doolin, previously a league-winning manager of Drogheda United before the Louth outfit ran into financial difficulties, took Cork to third place in the Premier Division last year, only to then see the club crash and burn after a turbulent season off the pitch.

“It’s a part of my life that I wouldn’t want to go back to,” says Doolin. “Especially after coming out of the Drogheda situation. To see all the work we put in, in Drogheda for five years go like that was hard. Then, when I think about Cork, not being paid for the work you do did disappoint me.

“Ok, I resigned and I could have maybe looked for the next year of my contract or something but I didn’t, I let it go.

“To finish third in the league was fantastic but it’s in the past and something I want to forget about. Not from the football point of view, because I thought the football was good and I thought we did really, really well.”

However, Doolin said he is delighted that senior league football has survived on Leeside in the form of First Division Cork City FORAS Co-op.

“Absolutely. Cork City is bigger than Paul Doolin or anybody else. The only thing I’d say is that it’s a little bit sad that neither them nor Derry are in the Premier Division because, with all due respects to the teams that came up, it doesn’t make the league any stronger. Derry and Cork are big clubs but if there’s rules, they have to be obeyed.”

Should another club offer materialise, Doolin will step down as U23 manager but, for now, his focus is concentrated on taking up the role previously held by Pat Fenlon and preparing a squad for the 2010/11 International Challenge Trophy which will kick off against England – comprising of a side drawn from non-league football – in Waterford on May 26.

“Whether it’s rugby, soccer or tiddley-winks, there’s always an added bit of spice when it’s Ireland versus England,” said Doolin, whose side’s second qualifying game in a three-team group will pit them against Estonia away on September 28.

Doolin’s squad will be sourced exclusively from within the Airtricity League, with the new boss – having already drawn up a preliminary list of 24 eligible players – confident there is no shortage of young talent in the domestic game from which to choose.

There are three qualifying groups, two of which have already kicked off, with Italy currently leading Group A from Romania, Belgium and Malta, and Portugal out in front in Group C ahead of Northern Ireland, Poland and Wales.

Meanwhile in Airtricity League action tonight, St Patrick’s Athletic will be looking to maintain their 100% start to the season when they host UCD at Richmond Park (7.45pm). With two wins from two, including Tuesday night’s 0-2 win over Dublin rivals Shamrock Rovers, manager Pete Mahon could not have hoped for a better start to the season.

“The win in Tallaght was hard fought but well deserved,” he said. “Since January the players and coaching staff have spent a lot of time together, by my calculations we’ve had 25 training sessions and 10 matches. We’re becoming more familiar with each other and that is starting to show and stand to us.”

UCD travel to Inchicore with all eyes on striker Ciaran Kilduff who has attracted the interest of Ipswich boss Roy Keane. Kilduff scored twice for the Students in their opening day 3-0 defeat of Drogheda United and last time out earned his side the spot-kick which Greg Bolger converted as they went down 2-1 to champions Bohs.

Saints manager Mahon managed the Belfield side for over five and a half years, taking charge of 165 games before handing over the reigns to his assistant Martin Russell.

“I could see the coaching qualities that Martin possessed a few years back and his transition from assistant to manager has been a seamless one,” said Mahon. “His achievement in guiding UCD to promotion as First Division champions is almost impossible to overstate. To win a league that contained Sporting Fingal, Shelbourne and Waterford United was a brilliant feat. We’re under no illusions as to the challenge facing us on Friday night.”

In tonight’s other Premier Division games, Bray Wanderers are at home to Sporting Fingal (Carlisle Grounds, 7.45pm) and Drogheda host Bohemians (Hunky Dorys Park, 7.45pm).

nSee Digest for tonight’s fixtures