Fleming ready to battle for Shelbourne place

SOCCER: Former Ireland international Curtis Fleming knows he faces a tough battle to establish himself in the Shelbourne side after the club completed the registration of the veteran defender yesterday.

"It's going to be difficult for me because there's quality right through the team," he says, "but there's a lot of games coming up so I'll wait for my chance and then hopefully take it.

"I'd happily play anywhere. I wouldn't say I have the greatest left foot in the world but I played at left back for Middlesbrough for three or four years so that as well as right back is a possibility but I'd like to think I could fit in anywhere across the back four and do what's needed if asked."

Fleming is eligible to play at Bray Wanderers this evening but is unlikely to be considered match fit . He could, however, feature in one of Shelbourne's Champions League qualifiers against Steaua Bucharest over the next couple of weeks which would provide him with his first taste of European football since appearing for St Patrick's Athletic against Steaua's neighbours Dinamo 15 years ago.

The 36-year-old has signed until the end of the season but says he could, depending on how he fares during the coming months, play for one more season.

Shelbourne, meanwhile, are without Richie Baker, Alan Reynolds and Glen Fitzpatrick (all suspended) for this evening's game at the Carlisle Grounds while Keith Long is omitted from the home team's squad due to injury.

Cork City goalkeeper Mark McNulty returned to action with the reserves on Wednesday night and may be fit to face Shamrock Rovers at Turner's Cross tonight and, it is hoped, play in the second leg of the Uefa Cup tie against Ekranas next Thursday.

"He played 80 minutes of the game," said Damien Richardson yesterday, "and we'll wait to see if he has any reaction but so far so good and if he's okay I'll have a choice to make between himself and Phil Harrington."

First-choice goalkeeper Michael Devine has been told it will take three weeks to recover from a shoulder injury while long term injury victim Billy Woods has returned to training.

Joe Gamble is back from suspension for this evening's match and with Roy O'Donovan starting a ban, the midfielder is likely to go straight back into the team.

Derry City look to maintain their recent run of form at home to UCD but the Dubliners have lost just once in the past two months so Stephen Kenny's side will have their work cut out.

"They beat us down there and it should be quite a game but we've been playing very well lately and hopefully we can continue that," he says.

Eamon Doherty joins the club's injury list having sustained, like Damien Brennan and Eddie McCallion before him, knee ligament damage against Shamrock Rovers last week while Stephen O'Flynn is ruled out with an ankle problem. Barry Molloy returns to the squad and will rival Ruaidhrí Higgins for Doherty's place in central midfield.

Pete Mahon is still short in the striker department but Robbie Martin could return after missing the win over St Patrick's Athletic with a thigh strain.

Bohemians face Drogheda United at Dalymount Park in a game both sides could do with winning to keep touch with the leading group and the home side have Dessie Byrne fit again while new signing Aidan O'Keeffe is added to the panel. United are once again without injured Shane Robinson and David Sullivan.

"It's a big game for both of us," says Gareth Farrelly, "but we played well last week; it was the first time we'd scored three goals all season and I was very happy with it. We have a couple more options this time but there won't necessarily be any changes."

At Richmond Park Seán O'Connor could feature for the first time in the St Patrick's Athletic side to face Waterford United but Keith Fahey and Colm Foley miss out due to suspension and a knee injury respectively.