Derry not impressed by Collins’ £100,000 bid for Kelly

**A face** · 25/10/2001, 8:50 AM

This article from:

http://www.examiner.ie/nuapublish/np...=sgaPC4cK1YgDo

October 25, 2001
Derry not impressed by Collins’ £100,000 bid for Kelly

By Bill George
DERRY CITY manager Kevin Mahon yesterday said they would not stand in the way of their 22-year-old centre-back Darren Kelly if an attractive offer came his way.
But Mahon dismissed any possibility of Kelly joining the former Bohemians’ manager Roddy Collins at Carlisle United.

Collins is attempting to build an Irish-based team at Carlisle where the former Shelbourne and Irish U-21 international striker, Richie Foran, has helped create a mini-revival with a regular flow of goals in recent weeks.

But his attempt to sign Kelly from Derry for a fee in the region of £100,000 has not impressed the Northerners.

Kevin Mahon said: “I don’t want young Kelly to go anywhere, he is on contract with us until the end of next season and we are not interested in losing him.

“But if a good opportunity for him came along and a good offer came in for his transfer then I would have to let him go.

“It would suit me better if he didn’t go anywhere just now because he is an important member of my team.”

Derry have been shaping up as potential League champions this season and are currently second in the table, just three points behind Shamrock Rovers. This represents a big improvement on recent seasons when financial constraints did not help the manager.

Derry face a big test tonight at the Brandywell (7.45pm) when they play a St Patrick’s Athletic side that is sprinting up the table. Pats have lost only one game out of 13 in the League and with centre-forward Mbabzi scoring almost at will for them they have looked irresistible in recent weeks.

Mahon promised a couple of changes in his team selection even if he expressed satisfaction with the performance against Monaghan. “St Pats are a different proposition to Monaghan,” he said, “and I will make some changes, but I don’t want to say what they are until just before kick-off.”

Bohemians make the short journey to Belfield to play UCD tonight (7.30pm) with manager Pete Mahon grateful for the injury time equalising goal from striker Glen Crowe that gave them a point against Cork City last week. Crowe struck three minutes into added time to tie the game at 2-2.

Mahon said: “We were very lucky. Perhaps we played well enough over the 90 minutes to have deserved something from the game but you have to say that Cork were justified in feeling cheated because our equalising goal came so late.

Bohs should be too strong for UCD but they will be without defender Steve Caffrey who is suspended for this match.

**Schumi** · 25/10/2001, 2:33 PM

Originally posted by A face
Bohs should be too strong for UCD.

I wouldn't be so sure, they have 7 points from their last 9 games and we've been going well recently (3 wins from our last 4 games). It should be closer than the last time anyway!