Among the star-studded cast of players with over 100 league medals between them are Player of the Year Killian Brennan and several based in England, including Paul Keegan (Doncaster Rovers), Brian Murphy (Queen’s Park Rangers), Paddy Madden (Yeovil Town) and Gary Deegan (Northampton Town).
Shelbourne fans have joined their Bohemian rivals in building support for the Tribute Match. Shels fan Fran Reilly and Bohs fan Jason Kavanagh will play for twenty minutes, having bid highest in club auctions for the honour.
Two stars of the television screen will also feature. ‘Fran’ and ‘Elmo’ from Love/Hate – otherwise Peter Coonan and Laurence Kinlan – will display their footballing skills.
Bohs legend Kevin Hunt had to decline the invitation as his wife is due to
give birth about this time. Ex-Shels player Wes Hoolahan was committed to play and will be in Dublin with the Ireland squad this weekend but is scheduled to leave with them for Poland on Sunday afternoon.
In an interview with bohemianfc.com this week, Heary names Hoolahan as the best player he ever played with – “head and shoulders above them all”. Heary hopes Hoolahan will make some contribution to the celebrations.
The Bohemian captain and assistant manager brings the curtain down on his playing career twenty years to the day from when he made his League of
Ireland debut with Kilkenny City.
“This should be a great occasion. For me, it’s a great way to end my playing career, with players I have won trophies with,” he said.
While preparing for the Tribute Match, Heary has also been preparing for next season and has secured the first ten players he wants for Bohemians’ 2014 senior squad, including new signing Lee Murphy, the former Shels goal-keeper.
Re-signed from the past season’s squad are: Dean Delaney, Roberto Lopes, Dave Mulcahy, Derek Pender, Keith Buckley, Karl Moore, Andy Mulligan, Stephen Traynor and Dinny Corcoran.
Heary hopes to confirm several more new signings in the coming days.
