Soccer

Exodus from UCD continues as defender Scales set to join Bristol Rovers

Shamrock Rovers look for first win in four games as they visit St Pat’s

Liam Scales: looks poised to complete a move from UCD to English League One side Bristol Rovers. Photograph: Paul Dennis/Inpho

Paul Buttner
Mon Jul 1 2019 - 07:00

Republic of Ireland under-21 international central defender Liam Scales is set to complete a move to Bristol Rovers this week as the exodus from UCD continues.

Managed by Dubliner Graham Coughlan, the English League One side are in Ireland next week for a pre-season training camp. Striker Conor Davis is also on his way out of the UCD Bowl to Derry City.

It’s another double blow for College manager Collie O’Neill on the back of losing key players, skipper Gary O’Neill and under-21 international winger Neil Farrugia, to Shamrock Rovers last week.

“Liam has been brilliant for us ever since he’s been here,” said O’Neill. “He’s a top class talent with a great attitude and it’s no surprise clubs are looking for him.”

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O’Neill hopes to have both Scales and Davis available for tonight’s match at Sligo Rovers before they depart.

Friday’s 1-0 home defeat to St Patrick’s Athletic was UCD’s 10th successive loss as they slipped to the foot of the table.

Sligo wait on Regan Donelon, Ronan Coughlan and Daryl Fordyce as they look to bounce back from what manager Liam Buckley described as their worst display of the season in losing 2-0 at Finn Harps on Friday night.

Following their home defeat in the top-of-the-table clash to leaders Dundalk, Shamrock Rovers are another side on the rebound from Friday, as they look for a first win in four matches away to St Patrick’s Athletic.

Despite their now being eight points behind, Rovers manager Stephen Bradley believes champions Dundalk can still be caught.

“One hundred per cent,” said Bradley. “What we showed is that when we play like that there’s nobody who can match it. We showed that we’re a team that will be right there until the end of the season.”

Though it’s just one defeat – away to Dundalk – in eight league games for St Patrick’s, manager Harry Kenny’s side have scored just 19 goals in their 23 games this season, three penalties and an own goal among them.

More clinical

“I was a little bit happier on Friday night in the sense that we created plenty of chances,” said Kenny.

“We’ll definitely need to be more clinical with our chances against Rovers as we’re unlikely to get as many as we did at UCD.”

Defenders Dean Jarvis and Daniel Cleary are free of suspension for Dundalk ahead of the visit of Waterford to Oriel Park. Jordan Flores is out with a hip flexor problem while new signing Andy Boyle remains ineligible until Friday.

Cork City have appointed Frank Kelleher as first team manager.

Kelleher, a Uefa Pro licence holder, played with City in the 1980s and was most recently head of Cobh Ramblers academy. Kelleher will begin work at Turner’s Cross after tonight’s trip to Finn Harps.

Ahead of facing Derry City at Dalymount Park, Bohemians yesterday announced new contracts for seven players until the end of the 2020 season: Danny Mandroiu, James Talbot, Keith Buckley, Conor Levingston, Danny Grant, James Finnerty and Ross Tierney, the latter his first professional deal.

Shamrock Rovers, meanwhile, yesterday announced the signing of striker Graham Cummins from Cork City for the remainder of the season.

Tonight's fixtures – Premier Division

Bohemians v Derry City (live on eirSport 1, 8.0)

Dundalk v Waterford

Finn Harps v Cork City (8.0)

St Patrick’s Athletic v Shamrock Rovers

Sligo Rovers v UCD

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