James McClean standoff with Derry City looms over FAI Cup trip to Galway
FAI Cup semi-final: Galway United v Derry City, Eamonn Deacy Park, Saturday, 3pm – Live on RTÉ2 One of the more uncomfortable aspects of James McClean’s public falling out with Derry City is the regular presence of his brother Patrick McClean in the Candystripes ’ line-up. The younger McClean has been a mainstay in a Derry defence that leaked 42 goals in 32 Premier Division outings so far. He also scored in the quarter-final win over Dundalk to leave Mark Connolly’s side one win away from a 13th FAI Cup final appearance at the Aviva Stadium on November 8th. “I’ve gone to the Aviva for years watching James in an Ireland jersey, and I would love to share the pitch with him at the Aviva in the cup final and see him lift a trophy with Derry City, because I’ve watched how his love for Derry City has shown over the years,” McClean told The Derry Journal ahead of Saturday’s semi-final at Eamonn Deacy Park. “He’s never shied away from being a Derry lad, and it’s obviously sad how things have turned out.” Patrick McClean, surprisingly, spoke this week about the standoff between his brother and his employer, even as the situation threatens to spoil Derry’s season. “I don’t find it difficult, not at all. I grew up with it,” he joked when asked about this week’s PFAI statement supporting his brother, and the club’s response. “I’m used to it. I just come in and do my job every day, and that’s all I can do. “I spoke to James once it all came to a head a while ago. I spoke to James personally. I sat down with him and his wife [Erin] and we had that conversation then. “I’m my own man and have to get on with my own job. Obviously I support my brother as much as I can. James is who he is, he’s always been that way and I’ll back him to the hilt. Again, I have my own career here at Derry City and it’s about making the most of that for me as well.” James McClean has not featured for Derry since July. In April, the 37-year-old took to social media to reveal that a hip injury is close to forcing him to retire from football. In June, while appearing as a World Cup pundit on RTÉ, he took aim at how the club was being managed. The chance of the brothers playing together at the Aviva seems farther away than ever, especially since Connolly sparked an upsurge in results following Tiernan Lynch’s departure in August. Captain Michael Duffy remains the star turn, with 14 goals and eight assists, while Ellis Chapman has found form in midfield and former Ireland under-21 winger Darragh Burns is bringing quality down the right since signing from Grimsby Town. All this attacking ability is charged with unpicking Galway United’s back five, marshalled by Canadian Gianfranco Facchineri and the wily tactical brain of manager John Caulfield. “The team that goes out on Saturday will run through the wall for Galway United, there be no problem for that,” said Caulfield. “If you’re Derry City and if you’re Philip O’Doherty investing millions and publicly saying you’re building a team to win the league, then your intentions are to win a league or a cup. “Unfortunately, Galway aren’t in that position at the moment. We’re not in that financial position. “Of course, I’d love to get to the Aviva for the supporters. Yes the players [too], but the supporters, because they’ve had no success. The club had been in a bad way for a long, long time.”