Pete Mahon: 'Killian had a chance to speak to me but he chose not to - he just left'

Pete Mahon says he was 'disappointed' by comments made by Killian Brennan as the midfielder prepares to return to United Park for the first time since leaving Drogheda United last month.

Brennan spent an unhappy, injury-plagued six months with his hometown club and was released by mutual consent before re-signing for St Patrick's Athletic three weeks ago.

He and striker Marc Griffin left the club following a 6-0 derby drubbing at home to Dundalk, while striker Gareth McCaffrey had also departed by mutual consent in May.

Later, Brennan suggested the trio's decision to leave the club lay at the door of assistant manager John Gill, and Mahon suggested the midfielder's comments were made in haste.

“There’s problems in every football club,” Mahon told the assembled media following Friday's 4-1 defeat to Galway United, which leaves Drogheda four points adrift at the bottom of the table.

“Killian made his comments, I think maybe in the heat of the moment, and maybe it’s something he regrets now.

“He hadn’t played for us he got injured here in the first game in the season and then he came back and played a game against Bray and he got injured again.”

Mahon continued: “He just wasn’t happy but I don’t think the comments that he made served anybody any good.

“I’ve worked with John Gill for a number of years now and I know what John’s about.

“I was disappointed to read the stuff and see it but look that’s football. Killian had a chance to speak to me but he chose not to - he just left. So I’ll see him next week and I’ll have a chat with him.”

With the Boynesiders facing a tough relegation battle it then came as a shock to see the experienced Sean Thornton announce his retirement last week but Mahon played down rumours of a dressing room rift.

“He [Thornton] told me a couple of months ago that he was going to retire at the end of the season anyway,” Mahon explained.

“I went up to Drogheda last Monday week and I had a chat with him and he said that he was definitely going to retire at the end of the season.

“He’s got himself involved with a junior team in Drogheda where he is coaching and I thought it’d be best if he brought forward the retirement by a couple of months.

“What it does then is it gives me the opportunity to play somebody else because you can’t serve two masters, you have to be focused totally on the one job here.

“Look, Sean gave the club great service since he came back from the UK so we wish him well in his new role and we’ll see him in the future.”

Drogheda United face St Patrick’s Athletic at United Park on Friday evening (kick-off 7.45pm).