Bray boss hopeful of Cup "shock"
Credit:
Supporters of Bray Wanderers will be hoping Sunday's FAI Cup semi-final is just
another hurdle on the way to a date with destiny in Tallaght next
month. It’s the tenth anniversary of The Seagulls last major honour
when they won the Cup after an epic battle with Finn Harps.
Bray eventually overcame the Donegal side 2-1, in what was the second replay of that final back in 1999. Eddie Gormley knows their work will be cut out this time around and feels Sporting Fingal, despite being in a lower division, are runaway favourites for the game at Morton Stadium.
“You only have to look at the two squads on paper," Gormley said. "They’ve a bigger squad, they’ve a more experienced squad full of Premier Division [ex] players, players who have won leagues in the Premier Division, who have won Cups in the League of Ireland. They’re a far superior squad to us.”
The vast experience that Liam Buckley has at his disposal is something that Bray has been in short supply of this season and Gormley acknowledges he would be the first to avail of such players if similar resources were in place.
“A lot of the time I’d rather have a lot more experience in my squad to be honest with you. At this stage we possibly wouldn’t be in the position we’re in. We just can’t afford to get those experienced players in.”
While his squad does lack the numbers of Sporting and their current league position looks ominous, The Seagulls have never been afraid to play a skillful and honest brand of football and Gormley told extratime that his philosophy is not about to change.
“We don’t change for anybody. We go out and try to win the game, it’s as simple as that. We’ve approached every single game we’ve played this year in the same frame of mind. There’s no point in being the type of team that sits back and lets [the opposition] attack you. If you do that you’re bound to give up chances and they [Fingal] have the players to take those chances so we’ll have to go into the semi final in the same frame of mind as every other game and try to win it……the lads are just looking forward to getting out and playing the game now."
One of the positives that Bray can take away from the season is the spirit that has been in the camp, despite having to fight tooth and nail in every game: “We realised at the start it was going to be tough. As long as we go out and work hard that’s all I can ask of the players and I have to say they’ve never let me down in that regard. There’s a good buzz amongst them [the squad], they get on well together. They know themselves that most of them are at the start of their career and they’ll go on to bigger and better things.”
With every game being its’ own Cup final at this stage of the season, Gormley will not be prioritizing between league and Cup but instead remains focused on both competitions.
“Obviously we can avoid the drop, we’ve enough points to play for, the reality is it’s going to be very tough, we’ve two very tough games against Derry away and Bohs at home. Then Drogheda are the only team we can catch, who are away to Pats and at home to Sligo, but we’ll push on and try to win those two league games and see what happens but all I’m focused on now is the Cup tomorrow,” Gormley told extratime on Saturday evening.
Bray eventually overcame the Donegal side 2-1, in what was the second replay of that final back in 1999. Eddie Gormley knows their work will be cut out this time around and feels Sporting Fingal, despite being in a lower division, are runaway favourites for the game at Morton Stadium.
“You only have to look at the two squads on paper," Gormley said. "They’ve a bigger squad, they’ve a more experienced squad full of Premier Division [ex] players, players who have won leagues in the Premier Division, who have won Cups in the League of Ireland. They’re a far superior squad to us.”
The vast experience that Liam Buckley has at his disposal is something that Bray has been in short supply of this season and Gormley acknowledges he would be the first to avail of such players if similar resources were in place.
“A lot of the time I’d rather have a lot more experience in my squad to be honest with you. At this stage we possibly wouldn’t be in the position we’re in. We just can’t afford to get those experienced players in.”
While his squad does lack the numbers of Sporting and their current league position looks ominous, The Seagulls have never been afraid to play a skillful and honest brand of football and Gormley told extratime that his philosophy is not about to change.
“We don’t change for anybody. We go out and try to win the game, it’s as simple as that. We’ve approached every single game we’ve played this year in the same frame of mind. There’s no point in being the type of team that sits back and lets [the opposition] attack you. If you do that you’re bound to give up chances and they [Fingal] have the players to take those chances so we’ll have to go into the semi final in the same frame of mind as every other game and try to win it……the lads are just looking forward to getting out and playing the game now."
One of the positives that Bray can take away from the season is the spirit that has been in the camp, despite having to fight tooth and nail in every game: “We realised at the start it was going to be tough. As long as we go out and work hard that’s all I can ask of the players and I have to say they’ve never let me down in that regard. There’s a good buzz amongst them [the squad], they get on well together. They know themselves that most of them are at the start of their career and they’ll go on to bigger and better things.”
With every game being its’ own Cup final at this stage of the season, Gormley will not be prioritizing between league and Cup but instead remains focused on both competitions.
“Obviously we can avoid the drop, we’ve enough points to play for, the reality is it’s going to be very tough, we’ve two very tough games against Derry away and Bohs at home. Then Drogheda are the only team we can catch, who are away to Pats and at home to Sligo, but we’ll push on and try to win those two league games and see what happens but all I’m focused on now is the Cup tomorrow,” Gormley told extratime on Saturday evening.
