Barr battles for fitness ahead of League of Ireland opener
South African has not yet featured in any of Drogheda’s three pre-season friendlies or the Leinster Senior Cup
Jethren Barr is facing a race against time to be fit for Drogheda United’s opening game of the 2024 League of Ireland Premier Division season against Derry City.
The South African international goalkeeper signed for the Drogs in early January to add experience and competition to the goalkeeping ranks of Kevin Doherty’s squad.
However, Barr has not yet featured in any of Drogheda’s three pre-season friendlies against Longford Town, Shelbourne or St Patrick’s Athletic, or the Leinster Senior Cup group stage victory over a youthful Bohemians side.
That is because the 28-year-old tore his ankle ligaments in his second week in training, a situation he has described as “a nightmare.”
The former Portadown goalkeeper has been doing rehabilitation work for the last four weeks and is estimated to be two weeks away from a return.
“I’m not too far away,” he told Love Is The Drog. “I can’t not be ready for the game. We can’t go into the game with one (senior goalkeeper).”
Drogheda travel to the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium in 15 days time on the opening night of the top flight season.
18-year-old Andrew Wogan, who assumed the position of first choice goalkeeper midway through last season, and Ryan Maher, a 17-year-old who joined the club from Bohemians in 2023, have both featured in the pre-season and LSC cup games to date.
Barr, who had been without a club since leaving Portadown upon the relegation from the NIFL Premiership at the end of the 2022/23 season, is the only goalkeeper contracted at the club over the age of 18.
Given the untimely ankle injury has curtailed Barr’s involvement in pre-season, the highly-regarded Wogan is expected to began the campaign as Drogheda’s first choice between the sticks regardless of the South African’s availability.
Keep your eyes peeled for an extended feature interview with Jethren Barr coming up on Love Is The Drog, where he talks about swapping the NIFL for the League of Ireland, his trials down south, using Instagram as a networking tool, his future international ambitions with South Africa, competing with Andrew Wogan, playing for Paul Doolin, his faith and much more.
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