Bray move on without Alan Mathews

With several out of work managers circling, Maciej Tarnogrodzki has been told that he will be in charge for at least the next couple of Bray Wanderers games after stepping up from the under-19s to take of the first team in the wake of the departure of Alan Mathews and his coaching staff.

Neither side had much to say on that matter yesterday due to the talk of a legal action over the parting but the management team’s statement seemed to suggest that their problem was more with those overseeing the day to day running of the club, primarily chairman Denis O’Connor, than with the McGettigan family who effectively control it.

O’Connor, for his part, said he was focussed now on supporting the caretaker manager as he prepares games against Sligo and Limerick.

“I’ve been doing the rounds this morning, acknowledging what he (Mathews) did last year to keep the club together but the bottom line is that after Alan’s gone and after I’m gone, there’ll still be a Bray Wanderers so we just move on.”

Tarnogrodzki, who previously worked with Shelbourne, has a tricky looking game to start off with Sligo Rovers looking to get motoring after a very slow start to the new campaign and Wanderers, still without a point or goal, will be without David Cassidy at the Showgrounds.

Slight doubt

The hosts will again be missing Richard Brush and Jeff Henderson while Steven Beattie is a slight doubt but John Russell returns as Rovers look to start hauling themselves back up towards the top half of the table.

Cork City and Shamrock Rovers could both close the gap at the top to just one point, at least until Dundalk play Limerick on Saturday, with John Caulfield’s side looking for a fifth consecutive win over Derry and Pat Fenlon’s men aiming to improve on last week’s derby draw with Bohemians against Galway.

City again have doubts over Michael McSweeney, Colin Healy and Danny Morrissey while Peter Hutton is set to travel south without Josh Daniels, Shaun Kelly, Dean Jarvis or Stephen Dooley. In the circumstances the Ulster side would appear to have their work cut out.

Galway, though, head to Tallaght without Sam Oji or Stephen Walsh, both of whom are suspended, while David O’Leary’s name was added this week to the list of players ruled out by injury.

Ryan Connolly, Ger Hanley and Marc Ludden, however, are all back in contention for the game against Dubliners who have Luke Byrne back but still a doubt over Danny North whose knee injury is still troubling the striker.

Winning ways

Bohemians, meanwhile, head to Drogheda in the hope of returning to winning ways after two tough games against title contenders. Anto Murphy returns from suspension for the Dubliners while John McDonnell will be without Jason Marks (suspension), Sean Thornton and Neil Yadolahi are all out.