Injuries mount for Dublin derby

New St Patrick’s Athletic manager John McDonnell welcomes his old side Shelbourne and the man he succeeded at Inchicore tonight (7.45pm).

Eircom League Premier Division leaders Shelbourne will cross Dublin with assistant manager Eamonn Collins this evening for his first visit to Richmond Park since resigning as St Pat’s manager earlier in the campaign. McDonnell, meanwhile, was Shels manager Pat Fenlon’s number two last season.

Both managers have to contend with injury worries. Fenlon has ruled out Kevin Doherty and Tony McCarthy, and will give a late fitness test on a leg injury to Irish U21 international Wes Hoolahan.

St Pat’s have defender Karim ell Khebir serving a one-match ban and striker Paul Rose out with a knee injury. McDonnell must also continue to do without Paul Donnelly, Gary McPhee and Barry Prenderville, all recovering from injury while Jimmi-Lee Jones is out for the rest of the season.

The return of Ugandan international Charles Mbabazi Livingstone will also have to wait. The striker was forced to quit the game on medical advice last season, but has been given the go-ahead to resume playing and appeared in an under-21 match for Pat’s last week.

But McDonnell says Livingstone still has a long way to go before he is ready for first team action.