Town boss Mick McCarthy was pleased to see most of his players get their first 45 minutes of football under their belts as the Blues beat Shelbourne 2-1 in their opening pre-season friendly of the summer at Tolka Park. Brett Pitman and Freddie Sears were on target for Town with Dylan Grimes pulling one back for the home side from the spot.
"You could see the pitch wasn’t really conducive to the ball being moved quickly,” McCarthy said.
"Two good goals, I don’t know about the penalty, whether it was or it wasn’t but it made for a bit of a closer game anyway.”
He says his squad have had a good week training at the Carton House Hotel in Co Kildare: "Excellent, they’re always very good up there, we get well looked after.
"You can see the standard of it because Rafa Benitez took Real Madrid there and he’s taken Newcastle there, he obviously remembers it fondly. It’s a great facility and the lads just love it, it’s great.”
He says the players have been put through their paces by fitness coach Andy Liddell.
"It’s pre-season, it’s always hard,” he added. "You could see there, they’ve only played 45 minutes but they’re knackered. So long as they’ve run around and are getting their fitness, that’s what it’s all about.
"They’ve had a great week, they’ve all enjoyed it. It’s a bit of a slow burner, we don’t kick off until the 6th, that’s when we need to be ready.”
David McGoldrick missed today’s game with what McCarthy says is a minor injury, McCarthy said.
"He’s just got a bit of a sore hip flexor. He’s just having to manage it. But nothing to be too concerned about, he’ll be fine.”
Myles Kenlock was unable to make the trip to Ireland after picking up an injury in training at Playford Road.
"Myles did his ankle in training last week, so he’ll be out for a couple of weeks. He damaged the ligament.”
New signing Adam Webster travelled but didn’t play but McCarthy is hopeful the centre-half will make the start of the season after suffering an ankle injury late on last season while with Portsmouth.
"He’s recovering from his ankle but he’s running now, he’s out on the grass," the Town boss said.
"He’s been doing good work while we’ve been at Carton House. He’ll be fine, his fitness is going to be need working on. But he’ll be all right, he might be fit for the start of the season.”
Midfielder Giles Coke remained in Suffolk as he continues his recovery after knee surgery at the end of last season.
Daryl Murphy joins up with the squad to start his pre-season programme on Tuesday having been given additional time off having been with Ireland at the Euros.
McCarthy says that while he continues to look for additions, no new signings to his squad are imminent.