January signing Josh Honohan got his first Lincoln City minutes yesterday, in a behind-closed-doors in-house friendly at the EPC.
Josh hasn’t featured this preseason, with games against Boston United and Leyton Orient passing by without his involvement. It was made clear to the media at the Boston game that there was no ongoing problem, and that he was being carefully managed back to fitness.
He arrived at Sincil Bank with an impressive reputation, talent we have yet to glimpse. During his time at Shamrock Rovers, he made 67 league appearances and scored seven goals, earning back-to-back inclusions in the PFAI Premier Division Team of the Year. He also featured prominently in European competition, including the UEFA Conference League, underlining the level of experience he brings despite still being in his mid-20s.
He was injured in the FAI Cup Final back in November, when Harry Nevin went in high, earning a red card. That changed the course of the game, but Josh came off after 88 minutes and hasn’t played since. It’s been several months without football, and despite originally being touted for a March return, City have taken their time.
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That time appears to be coming to an end. The in-house friendly, which pitted two Lincoln City XIs against each other, saw Josh finally get minutes. My understanding is he came through those minutes without an issue, and could now be in contention for some more game time at Blundell Park next Tuesday evening.
Some supporters have feared he was being kept out of the limelight for more nefarious reasons, and that his spell on the sidelines wasn’t almost over. However, once again, my understanding is that we have erred on the side of caution, with no immediate rush at the end of last season to get him back.
He is in a slightly different position to the rest of the squad. Most played regular football right up until the start of May, so are coming back with a degree of fitness, whereas Josh, out since November, is a little further behind. That explains his omission from the Boston and Orient squads, but the good news is he is very much like a new signing for the club.
Expect to see more of the Irish defender in the coming weeks, as he looks not only to impress at Lincoln, but also to drive himself back into Ireland contention.
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