Soccer

Jon Daly keen for longer stay in St Patrick’s Athletic hot seat after promising start

League of Ireland preview: Saints host Drogheda United while meeting of Bohemians and Derry City tops the bill

St Patrick's Athletic interim manager Jon Daly talks with Chris Forrester during a break in play in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division match against Cork City at Turners Cross. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho
St Patrick's Athletic interim manager Jon Daly talks with Chris Forrester during a break in play in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division match against Cork City at Turners Cross. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho
Paul Buttner
Fri May 12 2023 - 06:00

A winning start away at struggling Cork City last Friday will scarcely have done any harm to Jon Daly’s aspirations of becoming a manager. The 40-year-old Dubliner has taken interim charge of St Patrick’s Athletic following Tim Clancy’s departure early last week and he will again call the shots from the dugout on Friday evening for the visit of Drogheda United to Richmond Park.

Whether the former Republic of Ireland under-21 international is entrusted with the post permanently remains to be seen, but the ex-Stockport County, Dundee United and Rangers striker would relish the challenge.

“I’ve just been asked to step in on an interim basis,” said Daly who has experience of such a role at Hearts in Scotland and was also an assistant manager at TPS Turku in Finland before coming in as Clancy’s assistant at the start of last year.

“How long is that? How long is a piece of string? I couldn’t tell you. I don’t know. It’s not something I’ve been told. What I have been told is that they will look to make decisions.

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“In terms of do I want the job? I have never shied away from the fact that I’d like to be a manager one day.

“That’s why I have gone into the coaching side. That’s why I went to Finland for a year without my family, why I have come here without my family [who live in Scotland]. It’s all to one day gear and get me ready for being a manager.

“I am more than capable of doing the job. I have told the chairman that. If he needs to take two or three weeks, the club is in good hands while he makes that decision.”

Ahead of Friday night’s game and Monday’s trip to Shamrock Rovers, Daly confirmed that captain Joe Redmond will be out for several more months as he rehabs from hamstring surgery.

Striker Eoin Doyle completes a two-match suspension while goalkeeper Danny Rogers remains out with a thumb injury. Defenders Tom Grivosti and Harry Brockbank may be fit to make the bench.

Without a win in six games, Drogheda’s injury list lengthened following last week’s home defeat to Derry with defenders Conor Keeley and Elicha Ahui joining Evan Weir, Darragh Noone and Ben Curtis on the sidelines while centre back Emmanuel Adegboyega is suspended this evening.

Manager Kevin Doherty is hoping defender Jarlath Jones has a chance of being fit as Drogheda vie for a first win in Inchicore since 2012.

Bohemians host third-placed Derry City at Dalymount Park clinging to their leadership of the table as Shamrock Rovers, one point behind their Dublin rivals, travel to bottom side UCD.

“We’ve been able to respond after defeats we’ve had this season very positively and it’s something we’ll have to do again,” said Bohemians manager Declan Devine, still aggrieved at potentially pivotal decisions that went against his side in last week’s 2-0 derby defeat in Tallaght.

“Derry will fancy their chances pushing for a league title. We’re just looking to try and make sure that our level of performance will give us an opportunity of taking three points.”

Friday night’s fixtures (7.45)

Premier Division: Bohemians v Derry City; Dundalk v Cork City; St Patrick’s Athletic v Drogheda United; UCD v Shamrock Rovers.

First Division: Athlone Town v Kerry FC; Bray Wanderers v Finn Harps; Galway United v Wexford; Waterford United v Cobh Ramblers.