Shamrock Rovers Jamu Sligo Rovers demi Pertahankan Puncak Klasemen

Shamrock Rovers bersiap menjamu Sligo Rovers dalam lanjutan kompetisi SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division di Stadion Tallaght pada Jumat malam pukul 20.00 waktu setempat.

Pertandingan pekan ini menjadi momen krusial bagi tim tuan rumah yang saat ini memimpin klasemen dengan keunggulan tiga poin dari pesaing terdekatnya, St Pat's.

Laga ini juga menandai titik paruh musim kompetisi, di mana Shamrock Rovers berusaha bangkit setelah menelan kekalahan 1-0 dari Dundalk pada pertandingan sebelumnya.

Pelatih Shamrock Rovers, Stephen Bradley memberikan evaluasi mendalam mengenai performa anak asuhnya setelah meninjau kembali rekaman pertandingan kontra Dundalk.

"A lot of it was good. Dundalk played how we felt they would. We created the opportunities we felt we would, we just didn’t take them. On another evening we win the game quite comfortably. Dundalk had one chance in the second half and they took it. But it was just one of those nights that we just couldn’t take our opportunities, but in terms of the vast majority of what we did, that was good and sometimes you just have to take it." kata Stephen Bradley.

Mengenai kondisi skuad, manajemen klub memutuskan untuk tidak memainkan Pico Lopes sebelum sang pemain bergabung dengan tim nasional Tanjung Verde untuk ajang Piala Dunia.

"Pico is the type who wants to play every minute he’s available. He’s been back running this week and the injury wasn’t bad, but we have to look at the bigger picture here, as a staff and a club. Personally, I couldn’t live with myself if we asked Pico to play tomorrow and he had a reoccurrence of that injury, which kept him out of something he will never have the opportunity to do again; something he can talk about with his children and grandchildren in the future. For me, that’s special. We’re in sport and life in general to make memories and at the end of the day, that’s all we have. So I couldn’t live with myself if I was the one to take that away from him. So Pico definitely won’t be involved against Sligo tomorrow." ujar Stephen Bradley terkait absennya sang bek.

Di sisi lain, klub juga menyambut gembira pemanggilan Ed McGinty dan Adam Brennan ke dalam tim nasional senior Irlandia untuk laga persahabatan mendatang melawan Qatar dan Kanada.

"I’m delighted for them, their families. Hopefully both will be capped, that it will be the first of many. We should be proud as a football club, that we have another two players who could be capped for Ireland. It shows the growth in the team and the club and we should be really proud as a collective. I’m sure their families are and we certainly are as a club." tutur Stephen Bradley mengekspresikan rasa bangganya.

Terkait calon lawan, tim tamu Sligo Rovers diprediksi akan memberikan perlawanan sengit meski baru saja menelan kekalahan telak 4-1 dalam laga derby melawan Galway United.

"It will be difficult. If you watch Sligo’s games, the majority of them, they’re in them. I know last Friday against Galway, it’s a derby and that can happen (losing 4-1) and things can get away from you quickly. We need to make sure we’re focussed, we know there’s a lot of talk with Pico going away and the lads called up for Ireland, we understand all that. So we need to focus on what’s in front of us, that’s the game and if we don’t respect in every way what Sligo are about, you'll get beaten. We know that’s this league. We need to be ready and sometimes that’s not even enough, we saw that last Friday. A lot of that was good but sometimes that’s not enough to win games in this league. So we need to be right on it tomorrow." jelas Stephen Bradley.

Mengenai perkembangan pemain lain yang cedera, Danny Grant dan Cory O'Sullivan dilaporkan sudah kembali berlatih penuh dan siap masuk ke dalam skuad pertandingan.

"Danny was ready to be back last week, we just wanted to build him back up a bit, he’s trained the past ten days. There was no need to rush Danny and he’ll be back involved. With Rory, it looks like all is going as it should. He’s back in with the doctor next week to get a clearer indication of his path back. Cory also trained last week with Danny so he’s also back, which is good. Maleace Asamoah picked up a knock the day before the Dundalk game, so he’ll be out until after the break. That’s unfortunate as Maleace was getting there, but he’ll be ok and will be back after that break and get him going again." ungkap Stephen Bradley mengenai rincian kondisi medis timnya.

Berdasarkan laporan dari midwestradio.ie, sejumlah pertandingan lain di Premier Division juga berlangsung malam ini, termasuk laga Derby Louth antara Drogheda United melawan Dundalk.

Selain itu, St Pat's yang berada di posisi kedua akan bertandang ke markas Derry City, Galway United menjamu Bohemians, dan Waterford melakukan perjalanan ke kandang Shelbourne.