Kian Leavy keen to make up for lost time as Saints eye title charge
St Pats’ Kian Leavy and Cian Byrne of Galway battle for the ball. Pic: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne
Three years of injuries at Reading dashed Kian Leavy’s English football dreams but just past his 23rd birthday he’s making a decent stab at returning there.
The attacking midfielder has been instrumental in St Patrick’s Athletic rising to the top of the Premier Division, opening the scoring in Friday’s 2-0 win over Galway United.
His absence may have contributed to their slow start in the opening pair of matches but he’s back on form and ready to be unleashed against Derry City in Monday’s May day series.
“I tore my ACL, had two stress fractures in my back and a stress fracture in the top of my shin,” the Ardee man explained about his rap sheet of setbacks before his latest in pre-season.
“I was over in England for five years but missed three years of it so I’m well used to injuries.”
As the campaign moves towards the halfway mark, no team has made a breakaway at the summit. Stephen Kenny was headhunted by Garrett Kelleher last summer on a five-and-a-half-year contract with the express target of bringing the first league title back to Inchicore since 2013.
“When everybody is getting draws and teams are beating each other, if you can put a run together you can see how quickly we climbed the table last year,” Leavy said, referencing a belated title charge from eight straight wins in the run-in.
“If you can do that this year, we’re top of the league at the minute, if you can go on a run, you just don’t know where it can take you.”
Saints took ownership of the summit from Drogheda United, on foot of the Louthmen losing a two-goal advantage at Sligo Rovers to be left with a point.
One consolation from their trip to the Showgrounds was the return of last season’s top scorer, Douglas James Taylor, as a substitute and he could be handed his first start of the season when they host Cork City.
Josh Thomas continues his recovery from injury, while Paul Doyle misses out after an injury picked up early on in Sligo.
Defender Elicha Ahui and midfielder Darragh Markey are also both doubtful after being substituted with injuries on Friday.
For Cork City, while Friday’s late equaliser against Shamrock Rovers was welcome, manager Tim Clancy outlines he’s “massively down bodies”.
Milan Mbeng was the latest addition to the casualty list ahead of the Hoops visit but Kitt Nelson was fortunate to be involved after sustaining a knock in the warm-up.
City remain three points ahead of basement side Sligo Rovers, who head to Tallaght to face their fellow Rovers.
"There simply just aren't any games that aren't tough and Monday will be the same,” said Sligo boss John Russell.
“Our record up there isn't great but we're using that as motivation to go and give a good account of ourselves.
"We've been the architects of our own downfall at times this season and have given other teams headstarts.
“We've been so impressive going forward, creating chances and scoring goals and I'm really happy with that. But what's been killing us is the concession of silly goals.
"If you make it easy for the opposition somewhere like Tallaght, then chances are you're not coming back from it so we need to be on our game from the start.”
Drogheda United v Cork City, Sullivan and Lambe Park
Galway United v Bohemians, Eamonn Deacy Park
Shelbourne v Waterford, Tolka Park
Shamrock Rovers v Sligo Rovers, Tallaght Stadium (7pm)
Derry City v St Patrick’s Athletic, Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium (7.45pm).
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