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.

Photo: Action Images

manualthetisfanclub added 19:22 - Jul 9 No signings imminent.....................gonna be a long season!
16

iaintaylorx added 19:23 - Jul 9 “You could see the pitch wasn't really conducive to the ball being moved quickly" Sounds like Mick has made excuses for playing the long ball already!!
1

GiveusaWave added 20:11 - Jul 9 My guess is we will get in two free transfers again on transfer deadline day. Normally I am very optimistic about our chances every season...but I have seen a lot of sides in the Championship strengthen considerably already whilst we seem to be stuck on hold, or worse, even seem to be shedding players. Not feeling optimistic at this stage.
12

andyl1971 added 21:19 - Jul 9 Well we know Phil was at the game but the eadt report is nearly word fir word the same as phils. Our the eadt nicking your report Phil or did you write for eadt
1

Kesblue66 added 22:22 - Jul 9 Why do people worry about new signings,they would not play anyway,because mm would stick to the school .
4

mickeyjb added 22:38 - Jul 9 Well unlike last year at least we won't believe that we will do anything this one. We no that Didz will be injured for part of the season. I'm sure there is a few surprises to come that will pick up our expectations. ?????
0

lightingblue added 22:47 - Jul 9 I've been to Ireland for a week and I also enjoyed it, drinking the local delights and generally having fun integrating with the locals who are very welcoming ,if you have never been. Least we have a superstar to play against soon. It's the one ad only olly murs. Least they appreciate playing against someone with an ounce of talent and been a success. It's a shame it's been on the x factor and soon to Bethesda thurlow nunne league. To further this least he one more titles than any other town player did last season

2

planetblue_2011 added 01:00 - Jul 10 Im prob the only town fan hoping Coke recovers from his injury in time for the start of the season. Still think he will be a good player for the town.
3

cruncher added 02:11 - Jul 10 Giles Coke ?really we are fcuked
2

GiveusaWave added 03:48 - Jul 10 Giles Coke has a great deal to prove. He hasn't had an easy time at Wednesday, Swindon or Bolton so he will be out to prove a lot of people wrong. It's nearly 5 years ago that he scored his last goal or got an assist so let's hope this is his season. I am routing for him and hope he catches form.
3

muccletonjoe added 08:32 - Jul 10 The key players for me are dozzell mcdonell and bishop in midfield. If all 3 are ready to start the season and perform consistently then there is our ticket to the play offs. A big if but IF cameron stewart is ready to show us what he can do then maybe we can put the aim up even higher.
3

brittaniaman added 09:16 - Jul 10 No comment on Kightly rumour then Phil ?? anyway he would probably be to expensive for us ???
1

smellmycheese added 09:49 - Jul 10 Do you know what Mick, why dont you do one. You have single handedly ruined a once proud club. Transformed it to the most utterly uninspiring place to be. Slowly but surely the entire club has taken on your personality: DOUR. Just like Liverpool has been transformed by Klopp to take on his personality : positive and vibrant, we have taken on yours : dour and negative. Noticed last week when watching a compilation of your career's press conferences as a manager that your entire "humour" is based on sarcasm. You know what they say about sarcasm; it is the lowest form of wit.

1

BrettenhamBlue added 09:58 - Jul 10 If we are seriously relying on coke, stewart and piotr we are destined for a relegation battle not a play off position. I thought Piotr was gone only to be told that Southend aren't interested. Stewart seemed destined to go as he's barely played for ITFC for two years. And Coke? OMG.
7

Geoff added 11:57 - Jul 10 Wake up and smell the coffee.
2

SpiritOfJohn added 12:11 - Jul 10 Disturbing to read that Webster and Kenlock are both suffering from ankle injuries. Was hoping to see both of these in the starting 11 as much as possible.
2

Seasider added 13:05 - Jul 10 4 injured players before a ball was kicked. It sounds like there were no more in the friendly,thank goodness. As JAS rightly says must make some more signings before the end of next month,although I thought that last season the squad was a bit too large,as I am a firm believer that Mick should give more of the young uns a bit of game time. I know he did a t the beginning,and especially at the end of the season when there was nothing left to play for. However in nearly four years(doesn't time fly when you are enjoying yourself?)Mick has not brought one young player through to feature regularly in first team;although Bishop would have featured more had he not been injured so much,and Tyrone Mings was a transfer.

1

BlueandTruesince82 added 13:25 - Jul 10 Phil... Anything comming from the club on the Elliott Bennett rumours? Also do you know if we did actually try to sign Wes Hoolahan on loan a while back?
0

bressinghamblue added 18:33 - Jul 10 I'm not a lover of Mick's long ball tactics, but for smellmycheese to say that MM has ruined the club is ridiculous. If any one man is responsible for that then it was Roy 'Man Management by Fear' Keane. MM saved us from ruin. All fans wpuld live us to move on and play progessive football, but Keane spent Marcus' millions on mercenaries that were just in it for themselves. MM has no choice but to revert to the Ipswich way and bring on the likes of Dozzell and Bishop. Its the first friendly of the pre-season and people are already moaning. Pathetic. Get behind the team, support your club, and we'll see better times by doing things Sir Bobby's way. Rant over :)

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MicksZzzTactics added 22:46 - Jul 10 Hmmmm I bet Dinosaur Mick will be very happy with Coach Santos and Portugal, the new European Champions???!!! ..... as their tactics and hedgehog-like style of play throughout the vast majority of this easily forgettable tournament (and virtually since Santos took over the Portuguese side amid the qualification) is actually very similar to Micks own: "Defend, Defend, Defend .... and then hopefully just NICK IT late" lol Alas Portugal the most UNsexiest champions since .... since .... well I really don't know really as even Otto Rehhagel's super hard grinding & defensive-minded Greece of 2004 was a tiny bit more "spectacular" offensively in that tournament imho.

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