Rovers still have a battle on their hands
WHILE this season’s Airtricity League looks to be heading back to Dundalk, Shamrock Rovers still have plenty to play for when they welcome the 2017 champions Cork City to Tallaght Stadium tonight.
The Hoops are locked in a fierce battle with Waterford United for third place in the Premier Division and, with just two points currently separating them, Stephen Bradley’s men will be looking for all three points to ensure they remain out in front in this particular race.
“That’s our main aim, to finish third now,” said Rovers forward Aaron Greene. “We’ve been chasing Waterford for much of this season and now we’re ahead of them and we want to stay there.
“We’re not going to win a league or a cup. That’s disappointing, but we want to make sure we finish as high as we can.
“We had those back-to-back losses to Drogheda and Bohs, but we’ve responded well and won our last four.
“Where I think we’ve let ourselves down is the likes of the Bohs defeat and the loss to Bray earlier in the season.
“Football can be a hard and lonely place when you’re not doing well, but we’ve managed to put a good run together.
“We’ll be going for it against Cork. They’re the champions of last season and, while the title may be Dundalk’s this year, they’re [Cork] still a very good team,” insisted the Tallaght man.
Rovers have inflicted quite some damage on the Leesiders’ aspirations of making it back-to-back titles this season, carding a 3-0 rout of the champions before holding them to a scoreless draw in Turners Cross.
Another positive result tonight for Bradley’s boys would crown Dundalk champions regardless of what happens in their match against St Pat’s and could, perhaps, see Rovers enlarge the gap between themselves and Waterford, who have to travel to the in-form Bohemians at the same time.
Greene hopes he can help them earn those three valuable points, having enjoyed a good run with the Hoops in recent weeks.
“I came back from a ligament injury and that was hard, but I’ve started the last three games so it’s just about making sure I keep my place in the starting team,” he said.
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