Tolka's tickets like gold dust

St Patrick's Athletic's problems for tomorrow's return European Cup meeting with Celtic at Tolka Park have less to do with their activities on the pitch, as the need to find additional spaces off it.

That, in itself, is scarcely surprising for Celtic enjoy such a high profile in this country that frequently even their appearances in testimonial games are sold out.

Now with their European Champions' League preliminary round return leg against the Dublin club finely balanced after a scoreless draw at Parkhead last Wednesday, match tickets for tomorrow's game are as scarce as hens' teeth.

All 9,000 seats were sold even before the first leg game, with 1,250 of them earmarked for Scottish supporters, and the result has been to leave thousands of would-be patrons in a highly frustrated state.

It has scarcely helped that Garda authorities insisted on some 400 seats being left unsold to create a buffer zone between the two sets of supporters, an unnecessary precaution some would say in view of Celtic's high rating in Dublin.

St Patrick's officials are still hopeful that the order will be rescinded and that they will be in a position to put the extra tickets on sale. Even if this happens, however, it will amount to little more than a token gesture in the context of the overall situation.

A tie which always held a degree of fascination was given an added element of appeal with the resilient stand by St Patrick's in the first game and the effect has been to generate more hype than for any European game in Dublin in recent years.

Although Colin Hawkins was troubled by a recurrence of a foot injury in the closing stages of the game in Glasgow, it is anticipated that the Galway man - almost certainly the best player in either side at Parkhead - will play.

It is also hoped that Martin Russell, the Dublin club's recent signing from Portadown who contributed so significantly in the original game, will be available. Russell's younger brother was killed in a traffic accident in Dublin last Friday, casting a cloud over the club.

Celtic's big doubt is Alan Stubbs, who failed to appear for the second half of their game against Tottenham on Saturday after taking a knock on his ankle shortly before the break.