Clarke is back with Pat’s
By Stephen Leonard
GOALKEEPER Brendan Clarke is excited to be back at St Patrick’s Athletic having penned a deal that sees him return from Limerick for a third spell with the Inchicore side.
The precarious financial situation at the Shannonside club resulted in Clarke being allowed to leave and Pat’s manager Liam Buckley wasted little time in snapping up the services of the experienced netminder with whom he has won League of Ireland and FAI Cup honours.
“The whole financial thing at Limerick was sprung upon us pretty sharpish and, up until then, I had every intention of seeing out my contract there,” Clarke told Echo.ie.
“I was very happy representing the club and the city, so there were no issues on that front.
“But when the financial issue hit, the club said they were making me available to leave. So you’re looking at possibly staying and hoping you get paid or do you go and play somewhere else?
“Clubs became aware of my situation and a few of them were interested. To be honest, my whole history with Pat’s did not come into play. I was looking at all my options.
“I looked at what was going on behind the scenes at Pat’s – all that they’re hoping to do with that new development at St Michael’s and what they’ve got going on in the community and in schools. It’s exciting times for the club,” he said.
Following Clarke to St Pat’s from Limerick is midfielder Conor Clifford.
Attacking football
The arrival of the Palmerstown man to Richmond Park was also announced this week and he is excited at the new challenge, telling the club website, “I think my style of play will help the team.
“I think the way Liam sets his teams up suits the way I play, playing out from the back and playing flare, attacking football.”
The arrival of Clarke and Clifford comes just ahead of St Pat’s huge clash with Airtricity League leaders Dundalk in Richmond Park on Friday night.
Getting a result from this tie would be huge for the Saints who have failed to pick up a point in their last six outings, their latest defeat coming at the hands of Bohemians in Dalymount Park on Friday night.
Still, Clarke believes they are well capable of turning it around, telling Echo.ie: “You only have to watch the highlights of the Bohs match to see that the guys should have been three or four goals up before Bohs scored.
“Sometimes you just need that bit of luck and, in this league, you’d be surprised at how quickly things can change. Like our guys had won four-in-a-row and now they’re on the back of six defeats.
“We just need that bit of luck. You have to believe in the dressing room and in the ability of the players.
“Dundalk, for me, are the best team in the league, but these are the type of games you want to be playing in,” he said.
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