By Jim Davie

DUNFERMLINE BOSS Stephen Kenny yesterday made his first signing for the Pars when he swooped to net Celtic striker James O’Brien on loan until the end of the season.

O’Brien (18), was on the bench for the Bhoys when Celtic beat Dunfermline at Parkhead in September and Kenny has put the youngster straight into the squad for tomorrow’s Tennent’s Scottish Cup tie against Rangers at East End Park.

“He’s top scorer for Celtic’s reserve team this season and will be a valuable addition to the squad,” said Kenny. “Our injury list is crippling and we’ve got to add a few players to make us stronger.

“We hope to have another couple of signings shortly, but not before tomorrow’s game.”

Meanwhile, midfielder Darren Young remains confident that the Pars can hold their own in the cup with the Ibrox side, who have not had their troubles to seek this season, culminating in the parting of the ways with boss Paul Le Guen earlier this week.

“They’re not on the best of runs at the moment but I’m sure the Rangers players will be up for this game,” said Young.

“It’s their last chance of silverware this season, domestically at least, so they’ll be going all out.

“There might be a reaction to losing their manager and they’ll also be out to prove a point to any new boss coming in.

“I don’t think they’ll be too distracted by off field events. They’re mostly internationalists and I think they’ll be professional enough to put it to one side.

“Defensively they’ve not been at their best, though Allan McGregor has been on great form.

“We know all about Allan from his time here at Dunfermline last year and know how good he is so we’ll have to find a way past him.”

But finding a way to beat their former team-mate will not be easy for a Pars side that has failed to score in their last five games.

“We’ve had a few chances in recent games but haven’t found the net,” said the former Aberdeen player. “It’s maybe just a case of it hitting somebody’s backside or something to get us off the mark.

“We’ll take an OG or a lucky one—anything to get that first goal.”

The Pars have performed well in cups in recent years and, though a good cup run would be welcomed, Young insisted the league was more important.

“We need to start winning and a cup victory could kick start our season,” he added. “We could maybe take that into our league campaign and start picking up points.

“The league is more important to us than the cup but it would be nice to get a cup victory to give the fans something to cheer.

“Dundee United kick started their season under Craig Levein with a win over Rangers so we’re hoping for a similar thing for ourselves.

“We held them to a draw at East End earlier in the season and nobody expects us to win so we’ve got nothing to lose.”

Pars manager Kenny was in agreement with his player over what he considered to be the priority.

“The game against Falkirk next week is more important than the cup-tie,” he said. “But the cup is something different.

“It’s an opportunity to galvanise a team and a club.

“A team like Dunfermline challenging for the league is out of the question but the cup is something else.

“Rangers will be expected to win but we’ll be giving it a go.”

The Pars injury list shows no sign of reducing. As well as long-term casualties Jamie McCunnie, Scott Thomson and Jim McIntyre, Dorus de Vries, Gary Mason, Freddie Daquin, Scott Muirhead and Mark Burchill are all ruled out of tomorrow’s game and skipper Greg Shields is extremely doubtful after losing half a stone due to a virus.

However, Phil McGuire should be in his usual place despite also being affected by the flu bug.

Barry Ferguson will return to the Rangers squad.

Dado Prso is suspended, while Libor Sionko is injured and Jeremy Clement is also doubtful.

Should the game finish all square, the replay will go ahead at Ibrox a week on Tuesday. Dunfermline’s Fife Cup tie against Raith Rovers on that date would be postponed.