'Move forward together' - Cabo boss Pat Devlin calls for unity as First Division run-in hots up

Cabinteely Director of Football and first-team boss Pat Devlin has called on the club to ‘move forward together’ as the First Division promotion hunt hots up.

Cabo play host to Wexford this weekend in a potentially season-defining clash at Stradbrook on Friday evening.

And in a pre-match interview with his club’s media team, Devlin has called for more unity to be displayed among those involved with the club.

“We lost four top players in Rob Manley, Stephen McGuinness, Jack Tuite, Yuta Sasaki and Jack Watson (before the start of the season), and we never replaced them,” the former Bray Wanderers stalwart told his club’s media team.

“We took a 50% cut in the budget and we got on with it. Volunteers, players, and the board do their best, everybody does their best. The staff are fantastic, but it’s always tough,” he said.

Prior to the league’s resumption, Cabinteely were sitting pretty at the top of the First Division table – and remained there until the last couple of weeks.  

Despite their impressive league position in the middle of August, the South Dubliners now find themselves in fourth position in the league table after Monday’s defeat to Galway United.

“Things kicked off and we were going quite well. From a football point of view – it couldn’t have gone better’” he added.

“Where the club is going, you need to ask somebody else and they need to be up front and honest with you.

“I’m being very up front and honest (now). We have a great bunch of honest players, but unfortunately, we got beaten by Galway on Monday with a last-minute goal that was very silly from everyone’s point of view.



“I can’t fault them, they’ve given me everything – midweek games, training and playing on a Friday – it has been unbelievable stuff.

“The club is struggling obviously with a lack of sponsorship and a lack of finance coming in.

“There’s no money coming in through the gates but we’re getting on with it and we’re still having a smile on our face.”

And ahead of Cabo’s clash against Wexford tomorrow evening – Devlin has called on those involved to show a unity and togetherness amongst them.

“To summarise the season so far I am really pleased. We lost five players and never replaced them.

“We’re not scoring enough goals and we’re making defensive errors. The players we have are the best we can afford and I’m really proud of them.



“They’re fantastic people and it’s a great little club. All we can do is pull together and move forward.

“At the end of the day there’s nothing guaranteed – we have fifteen points to play for starting against Wexford.

“It will be extremely tough, make no mistake about it. We only drew with them earlier on in the season and we need to move forward.

“That’s all we have to do as a football club. But the most important thing is to move forward together.”