Keeper's final countdown

"I would like to get back playing as quick as I can but with the injury, I just have to make sure that it is in properly.

Paul Gallacher is hoping to be fit for Sunday's Challenge Cup final in order to give his Manager Stephen Kenny a selection problem.The on loan Norwich City keeper sustained a shoulder injury in training in mid October but his recuperation is on schedule for a return to action.

He was an interested spectator as he watched his stand-in, Sean Murdoch, keep a clean sheet against Sunday's opponents in the last SFL match at McDiarmid Park a week past Saturday.Paul reflected:-

"We are going into the game positive from the performances in the Challenge Cup. It is a cup competition, you want to win it.  We came through well against Ayr - a clean sheet yet again.

"Obviously the league is not going according to plan at the moment. We had a great result at the weekend because we came through such a bad spell to get a draw against St Johnstone.  It is a very positive result.  We are not going to be shouting from the rooftops delighted with it, but it is a step in the right direction."

180 minutes of SFL action between Dunfermline and St Johnstone have failed to see a goal scored, Paul feels that these fixtures have been really close:-

"I played in the first and I went to the game at the weekend. There has been a lot of football played but there have been a lot of last ditched tackles and good blocks.There have not been a lot of shots on target."

The 28 year old keeper came north for match action and he wants to displace Sean Murdoch primarily for that reason. Paul has had a good run since arriving in August, playing well with four clean sheets in ten. He added:-

"I just want to play games. First of all I must get back fit and make myself available for selection. Sean has come in and done really well. If I wasn't to get selected I wouldn't have anything to complain about.

"I am up here to play football, to get games and I have been given the opportunity by the gaffer, Jim Leishman and the Board who have contacted Norwich.

"I was more than happy to come up to get games and to play in what I believe is a very strong team.  It is a great set up and I think we are in a false position at the moment.  The last three games it has not been great - poor results but we have enough good players, enough ability, enough character to get ourselves back up there and much closer than we are at the moment."

There is never a good time to sustain an injury but Paul's came at a time when he was desperate to get another match:-

"My last game was the 5-0 defeat from Hamilton so it is not nice and it is still in my mind.  I would like to get back playing as quick as I can but with the injury I just have to make sure that it is in properly.

"It has taken a bit longer than what we thought.  I damaged ligaments and the joint in my shoulder.  It will take four to six weeks so I am sort of on schedule."

Should the final go to penalty kicks at least the Pars have grounds for optimism since Paul has already saved 50% of those he has faced as a Dunfermline player:-

"There have been four penalties and I have been fortunate to save two of them. They turned out to be fairly important as well so I am delighted with that."

Penalty save v QOS at Dumfries 06/10/07

Penalty save v Dundee at Dens Park 15/09/07