Gypsies may be forced out of Cup

Bohemians may be forced to pull out of this year’s Setanta Sports Cup as they might not be able to field a team.

The current holders of the competition are due to play their first game on 21 February against Portadown but with only four players signed for the upcoming season, manager Pat Fenlon is concerned that the cash-strapped club may be unable to fulfil the opening fixture.

Speaking in Tuesday’s Irish Times, Gypsies boss Pat Fenlon said: ‘To be honest with you, I don’t think we are going to be able to play the first game. We don’t have a team. We’ve three or four players signed at the moment and that’s it.

‘And I don’t know what the situation is in relation to signing other players. I don’t think we can fulfil that fixture.

‘We can’t train. We trained for two weeks and I then had to cancel it last week because all the staff are gone. You can’t train without a physio or anybody else. That’s where we stand at the moment.

‘I want to make sure all the players are sorted out and that’s resolved. There are people at the club due wages outside of the playing side.

‘It would be very difficult for me to go and sign players while that situation remains. It’s not fair on anybody to do that. When all that is sorted, I’ll make a decision on what I want to do then.’

UCD will be invited to play in this year’s tournament should Bohemians withdraw from the competition.