RHYS BREEN says he is ready to help his Pars pals who have been "absolutely amazing" for the remainder of the campaign after returning to action.

The centre back, 24, played 90 minutes for the reserves in Tuesday's Reserve Cup semi-final win over Hamilton Academical, and could be in contention for the first team's trip to Arbroath on Saturday.

By his own admission, it has been a tough campaign for Breen, who has been restricted to just 11 appearances, the last of which came against Raith Rovers on January 2.

He has twice sustained hamstring injuries - in home and away league fixtures with the Rovers - before he picked up a knee problem in the New Year Fife derby, but is now aiming to stay fit and available for the final six games of the Championship season.

"I went in for a tackle and I landed funnily on my knee", Breen told the Pars website.

Dunfermline Press:

"It has been 12 weeks that I have been out for and it is good to be back. I know that I have said it many times, but it has been a hard season for myself. I am just happy to be back on the pitch again and hopefully I can try and end the season on a high.

"It has been murder with injuries that I didn’t expect but I have been trying to keep myself fit. It is just one of those things that happen. It is hard to take sometimes, but I have got a good head on my shoulders, so I know when I’m back, I’m flying.

"I want to push into the squad but, as long as the squad is doing well, I just need to make myself available. As long as they are winning games by the time I get my chance, I will take it.

"They have been doing brilliantly - that’s something I cannot fault. They have been absolutely amazing. Once I’m back fully fit, hopefully in a couple more games, I will hope to make an impact."

Goals from Paul Allan, for which Breen was credited with an assist, Owen Moffat and Michael O'Halloran took Dunfermline into the Reserve Cup final, where they will play Livingston, for a second successive season.

Breen, who alongside the three goalscorers was joined in the team by the likes of Sam Fisher, Joe Chalmers, Xavier Benjamin, Andrew Tod and Taylor Sutherland, added: " It was good to get the minutes into my legs and good to get younger ones into a final. Hopefully they can go on and win that.

"Everybody needed something from the game especially myself. It is good boys got 90 minutes, and some boys who haven’t been in the team also getting 90 minutes.

"That’s a big thing for them going forward in the season."