Town boss Mick McCarthy was delighted with the football the Blues played and the quality of some of their goals as they defeated Shelbourne 6-0 at Tolka Park in their first friendly of pre-season. Brett Pitman scored twice and Alex Henshall, Darren Ambrose, Cole Skuse and Jay Tabb once each as the Blues comfortably defeated the Dublin club.
"Results aren’t the most important thing, you know what I think about pre-season games,” McCarthy said. "But it’s still nicer to win.
"Those lads played last night [beating Cabinteeley 1-0], and we should win the game. But some of the football we played and the goals that we scored were excellent.”
Alex Henshall gave the Blues the lead after 52 seconds and McCarthy again impressed with the resurgent winger
"He does [continue to catch the eye], and that’s what he’s got to do because he went backwards at one stage last season.
"He had a bit of a shock to the system and he’s come back and he’s worked really hard and I’m delighted with him, he’s given himself a chance to get in the team.”
McCarthy says there was no evidence of a play-off hangover while the squad were away on their week’s training camp at Carton House in Co Kildare.
"No, you’re the first one that’s mentioned it!” he added. "It’s finished, there’s no point in even talking about it because it’s long gone.
"We had a great season, the lads were terrific. I thought we had a good play-off. We had one sending off all season, it was handball in the semi-final of the play-offs.
"It wasn’t for a bad foul, it wasn’t for abusing anybody. That was our one bit of bad luck but I thought we played well in the games.”
He says the week away gave the squad’s new players a chance to settle in: "Any of the new lads that have come in, it gives them a chance to be together for a long time, they just get to spend time with each other.
"We get to have a game of golf and go to the pictures, they’re in the pool having a swim and just generally bonding together, which is great.
"Every time we’ve signed somebody they’ve appreciated that few days together and then we’ll let them have a beer tonight.”
McCarthy is bitterly disappointed to lose Luke Hyam for up to four months after the knee injury he first suffered in January required surgery.
"It’s such a shame because he’s a great pro Luke and he’s come back twice now,” he continued.
"You’re always going to err on the conservative side, you’re not going to open people up and operate on them straight away. He’s been done now, let’s hope this time it works.”