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Town Face Shelbourne in First Pre-Season Friendly - Ipswich Town News

Town begin their 2016/17 pre-season friendly programme with their now traditional game against Dublin side Shelbourne at Tolka Park on Saturday afternoon (KO 3pm).

The squad has spent the week training at the Carton House Hotel, as they have during each previous summer since Mick McCarthy took over as boss in November 2012.

Town are likely to field a different side in each half of the game against what in previous years has been a Shels side mainly consisting of their U19s squad, including in 2014 Adam McDonnell, who eventually went on to move to Portman Road and will be up against his old club tomorrow.

The Blues’ first friendly against the SSE Airtricity League First Division side in 2013 ended in a 2-0 victory, the following year Town won 4-0 and last year they ran out 6-0 victors with even Cole Skuse getting on the scoresheet.

Admission is €10 for adults and €5 for children and OAPs with tickets available at the ground on the day. The bar at Tolka Park opens at 1pm.

Meanwhile, the Blues continue to be linked with Burnley winger Michael Kightly, who previously played for McCarthy at Wolves. Rumours linking Kightly with the Blues have been circulating since the end of June.

The 30-year-old is said to have indicated that he would be keen on a reunion with his old boss while on a coaching course with Blues skipper Luke Chambers in Northern Ireland earlier in the summer.

The one-time Grays Athletic and Stoke City man’s opportunities with the Clarets are likely to be limited during 2016/17 following their promotion to the Premier League.

However, if the Blues are interested it would be a tough deal to do with Kightly still having a year left on his contract at Turf Moor and likely to command a fee, while his wages would be significantly higher than Town would be prepared to offer.

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