ST JOHNSTONE defender Graham Gartland is hoping to win the nod for today’s lunchtime match against Hearts at Tynecastle after making a quicker-than-expected recovery from the shoulder injury he picked up at Aberdeen a fortnight ago, writes Neil Robertson.

However, it is the “cold shoulder” that the big Dubliner is offering to Thierry Henry after the French striker’s sleight-of-hand cheating denied Ireland a place in next summer’s World Cup Finals in South Africa.

“I had an injection in the shoulder on Tuesday and it really seems to have helped my recovery,” said Gartland.

“I have a lot of movement back in the joint although obviously if I fall on it badly again, then I might have a problem.

“I’m desperate to play as I haven’t missed a game so far this year and it’s a record I want to continue.

“However, I would never say I was fit for personal reasons—if I didn’t think I was right, then I would immediately tell the manager.

“When the injury happened at Aberdeen, I initially thought that I had dislocated it and tried to put it back in myself.

“A player I knew who had a lot of problems with his shoulder once told me that if you rotate your arm, you can put it back yourself and it is better than having someone else do it as it’s more natural.

“However, it wasn’t a dislocation. The bone and the A/C had just popped up a little.

“My team mate Danny Grainger drove me home in his car after the game and it was quite sore then, although that was nothing compared to the pain on the Sunday.

“I was also scheduled to have an the operation on my nose on the Monday.

“I had broken it before and I was having a lot of sinus trouble. I kept getting sick and needed antibiotics every two months or so.

“I said to the gaffer that it was draining me so we scheduled the op for the international break—it definitely wasn’t done for cosmetic reasons,” he laughed.

However, Gartland was not seeing the funny side on Wednesday night as Henry controversially set up France’s deciding goal with his hand.

And the proud Irishman is still seething, especially as he believes his country could really do with an injection of positive news in the midst of a deep economic recession.

“I was really disappointed with Henry’s reaction afterwards,” Gartland said. “He celebrated the goal as if nothing had happened and then he was sitting down with Richard Dunne commiserating with him as if he hadn’t meant it.

“If we had gone through, it would have been a massive boost for the country as it’s experiencing some really hard times financially at the moment with a lot of people out of work. I am absolutely gutted.”

Gartland hopes to put that disappointment to one side by helping Saints beat Hearts today.

“The first game we had against them back in August was like a lot we’ve played this season,” he added. “We probably should have killed them off early on but we let them back into the game and only secured a draw.

“But one thing about the boys is that they have a lot of character and the manager has also instilled the belief that even if we are behind in a game, it can still be salvaged.”

That manager Derek McInnes still has injury doubts hanging over striker Kenny Deuchar, centre-half Steven Anderson and left-back Danny Grainger.

He will give them up to the last minute to prove their fitness, although with a 12.30 kick-off, they will have less time than usual.

Hearts will be without Andrew Driver and Jamie Mole for today’s game.

Winger Driver has aggravated his troublesome knee problem and will not be risked, while Mole is out with an ankle injury.

Fellow forward Calum Elliot is finally back from a knee operation, while Eggert Jonsson returns from suspension.

Marius Zaliukas (ankle), Suso Santana (hernia) and David Templeton (foot) remain out, and Laryea Kingston (hamstring) is still building up to full fitness.