Keegan To Captain Airtricity Team To Face Red Devils

Bohemians star Paul Keegan has been appointed captain by manager Damien Richardson for tomorrow nights Airtricity League challenge against Manchester United, in what will be the first soccer match to take place in the brand new Aviva Stadium.

The central midfielder has played for Bohs since joining them from Leeds United in 2005 and has won 2 league titles, a league cup and Setanta cup in his time at Dalymount Park.

Richardson the former Shamrock Rovers manager was speaking at what everyone in the media thought would be a team naming but Richardson only named his captain and refused to name the rest of the team.  He said "I have the team, its just I havent told the players yet, because we have our last training session after the conference instead of beforehand but I will announce it when i let the players know after training"

Richardson did revel though that Galway Uniteds Stephen O Donnell will not feature after picking up an injury. "Stephen has had to withdraw after he took a knock to his knee in training yesterday, we thought if we kept him in he might not be fit for Galway's game against Sporting Fingal, so replacing him in the squad will be Dave Mulcahy"

Mulcahy turned into a hero amongst St Patricks Athletic fans after scoring a beautiful goal on the 90th minute to ensure Pats of a point against champions Bohemians on Friday night in Dalymount Park.

Richardson has fond memories of managing a team against Manchester United. While manager at Gillingham all those years ago United played a testimonial against them and even more recent than that 10 years ago while a Shelbourne and in that very same week against Liverpool and Leeds.

"My early years growing up I remember going to Dalymount Park with my father and brother to see them take on Shamrock Rovers in the European cup, which had only really taken off around then" He continued "It wasnt just the name Manchester United that impressed everyone, it was the way in which they played" " They wernt the days when you had alot of information about players like you do now through the internet, you knew the players by name but not to see them because you didnt see them on television" "I think that day was what sparked the massive support for United in this country and then you had the Munich air dissaster the next year so that stuck with the people that were in Dalymount Park that night.

Questions have been asked about how many fans will turn up and support the league players rather than supporting Manchester United, according to Richardson, that doesnt bother him.

"Id rather be play infront of 40,000 people than just league fans. I just ask that people come along and enjoy what they see, who they want to support then is their choice and their entitlement"  Richardson added "Back 10 years ago for the games against United, Liverpool and Leeds, people just showed up to support the English teams and at first that was hard to take, but now ive lived to accept it and im fully aware that more people will cheer on United tomorrow than the home players"

Tomorrow's historic game in the Aviva Stadium will begin at quarter to eight.

Daniel "Pitchside" Pitcher Twitter: @DanFM104Sport About: Dan "Pitchside" Pitcher provides insight and commentary as the chief soccer and rugby correspondent for Sportspeak.