SOCCER CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUALIFIER:PAT FENLON hopes the fearlessness of youth will see Paddy Madden blossom in Bohemians' Champions League campaign, beginning against Welsh champions TNS (The New Saints) at Dalymount Park (7.45pm) tonight.
The 20-year-old striker has been in sensational form, scoring 10 times in his last six games, though his goal at Drogheda last Friday didn’t count as the match was abandoned due to a power failure.
“It’s hard to say with Paddy,” said manager Fenlon on whether Madden was looking forward to tonight’s game. “He is a unique individual all right! I’d say he is, but the good thing with Paddy at the moment is he probably doesn’t realise where he is in relation to how well he is doing.That’s great for a young lad because he’s just a free spirit. He plays and all he wants to do is score goals.”
Madden will thus keep veteran striker Jason Byrne, fit following a back injury, on the bench tonight as Bohemians hope to lay the foundations to secure their passage.
Should they do so, Bohemians will be guaranteed at least another two rounds in Europe, worth a total of €550,000 from Uefa alone. Should they be knocked out in the third round, they would have the cushion of being parachuted into the Europa League.
But Fenlon has been at pains to stress beating TNS, who’ve not won a tie in Europe in 11 attempts, is far from a foregone conclusion. He said: “If you look at their results over the last few years, they’ve played decent teams and gone out on the odd goal. That shows the calibre of the players they have.”
Fenlon is forced into a change on the right side of midfield due to Gareth McGlynn being suspended, having been sent off playing for Derry City in Europe last season. Defender Steven Gray, midfielder Anto Murphy (both Achilles) and striker Aaron Greene (ankle) remain out injured.
In the Airtricity League tonight, Sligo Rovers take on UCD at the Showgrounds without the suspended Danny Ventre, though fellow defender Alan Keane returns. Matthew Blinkhorn and Mauro Almeida stay out injured while striker Lee McEvilly has left the club having been told he’s out for the season with a shin injury.
UCD are without David McMillan (groin), while defenders Brian Shortall and Séan Harding and midfielders Greg Bolger and Chris Mulhall need to prove their fitness.
TONIGHT'S FIXTURES (7.45)– Uefa Champions League (second qualifying round, first leg): Bohemians v TNS Airtricity League. Premier Division:Sligo Rovers v UCD; First Division: Mervue United v Cork City.
