Ipswich Town manager Mick McCarthy was pleased to get pre-season off to a winning start as goals from Paul Anderson, Darren McQueen, Tyrone Mings and Jack Marriott saw the Blues to a 4-0 victory at Dublin-based side Shelbourne.

“It’s nice to keep a clean sheet and nice for the lads who score the goals, they get off the mark,” he said. “But we should beat them. These games don’t really matter, but I prefer to win them than lose them.”

On the week his players have spent training at Carton House in County Kildare, he said: “Fabulous, it’s a great facility. I’ve been using it for a long time — I was there with Sunderland and Wolves .

“The hotel is great, the training facilities, the gym, the food, the staff – it’s a just a great place to spend the week and the lads love it, so it gets us all off to a good start.”

David McGoldrick missed the week in Ireland as he continues his rehab from the knee injury which ruled him out of action at the back end of last season. The striker recently spent a week doing some strength and conditioning work in Philadelphia with assistant head physio Alex Chapman.

“David McGoldrick was in America for his strengthening and he’s continuing that,” said McCarthy, whose side host West Ham in their next pre-season match on Wednesday (7.45pm). “I’m hoping he’ll be out with the balls next week. He’s progressing, he’s doing okay.”

Freddie Veseli was another who did not make the trip, McCarthy revealing that the former Manchester United and Manchester City defender – who was on loan at League Two side Bury last season – could be heading for the exit door.

He said: “He went out to (Swiss club) Luzern on trial. He’s back now and I don’t know what’s happening with him, but they wanted to have a look at him.”

Meanwhile, he remained tight-lipped on his plans to add further signings. On Notts County keeper Bartosz Bialkowski, he said: “When we sign someone we’ll tell people about it – you know that’s how I work. I don’t talk about other clubs’ players.”

– See Monday’s EADT and Ipswich Star for more from McCarthy.