Mason Melia available for selection as he returns from injury

RETURN FROM INJURY: Mason Melia – the League of Ireland’s first million-euro plus export – could return from injury to lead the line in St Patrick’s Athletic’s season opener against FAI Cup holders Drogheda United on Friday. Pic: Thomas Flinkow/Sportsfile

Mason Melia – the League of Ireland’s first million-euro plus export – could return from injury to lead the line in St Patrick’s Athletic’s season opener against FAI Cup holders Drogheda United on Friday.

Last week came confirmation of Tottenham Hotspur agreeing a deal worth an initial €1.9m to bring the striker into their full-time set-up next January after he’s turned 18 and completed his final season for the Saints.

It was thought the first game of the campaign at a Richmond Park now catering for an expanded capacity of 5,500 would come too soon for the Wicklow native but manager Stephen Kenny confirmed his availability.

Melia will compete with Aidan Keena for the sole forward’s slot in Kenny’s preferred 4-2-3-1 system.

“It’s brilliant to see Mason Melia back,” confirmed the Saints boss, who oversaw nine successive wins on last season’s run-in to secure third place and European qualification.

“He had an extended rest period during the off-season but has trained over the past week and half.

“He’s back in the picture and returns to in the squad. He had a terrific season last year and we’re delighted to have him back.” 

Kian Leavy isn’t so fortunate, having undergone surgery on ankle ligaments. The additions of Simon Power and Conor Carty, allied to the return of loanee Romal Palmer on a permanent basis provide plenty of alternatives in attack.

“It will be packed Inchicore,” added Kenny about the action getting underway. “With the lights coming on and the sense of anticipation for the season starting is exciting for the players and fans.

“The reality is we ended the 2024 season with nine wins and finished the league as the top scorers, but that doesn't earn you the right to start the league well the next season. We've got to roll our sleeves up and earn it."

Over the north side of Dublin, Damien Duff leads his Shelbourne side out against Derry City – the same fixture from the final night of the 2024 which landed the Reds their first title for 18 years.

“I’ve openly said that the Brandywell was the greatest night of my life,” admitted the Shels supremo.

“That kind of success is like a drug. The night we had up there, what that meant to us, to the fans, to everyone, that feeling is addictive.

“Do you settle for that, or do you want more? Because it was so beautiful, the greatest night of my life.

“You chase it - and you’ll do anything to get it again. This is the first step, where it starts again, and it’s going to be emotional.

“But the minute the game kicks off, you put it aside and try to channel that into the performance on the pitch. We need to bring that edge, that bounce heading into 2025, but it’s also about those other magic ingredients, quality and calmness.” 

Despite missing regular left-back Tyreke Wilson with a “long-standing issue”, Duff is delighted with the depth of his resources.

“We’ve built a foundation from day one,” he noted. “Picking teams will get more difficult as the season goes on.

“The guys ruled out are dealing with fitness issues, and when they are physically right, the competition will be huge. Having that headache is a good problem to have, especially when we’ve got players on the bench who can come on around the 60–70 minute mark, and we know they have the ability to change the game.” 

Derry are much-changed since that fateful night on November 1, with a new manager in Tiernan Lynch and a wedge of international experience from recruited former Northern players.

“They’re a bit of an unknown,” confessed Duff about the opposition.

“A change of manager and he’s brought in big players with big CVs, and a different formation.

“We’ve tried to take as much as we can from pre-season footage, but until you go toe-to-toe, you don’t really get a feel for them.

“I imagine they’ll be thinking the same about us. He won’t know our power, strength, and quality until he sees us.

“It’ll be an interesting, intriguing game, one the lads cannot wait for. I could feel that around the training ground today. The atmosphere is different. There’s a different bite and tension, and that’s exactly what we want to see for this game.”