Stephen McPhail on the title race and Larne Euro game: ‘Three months ago everyone was writing us off but with two games to go, we are bang in it’

Macdara Ferris reports from Weaver’s Park.

The title race is down to the final two matches and incredibly involves includes four teams. For Shamrock Rovers, the talk of this season’s titanic tussle at the top of the table will be pushed aside in the first part of the week, with the Hoops playing Larne in the city where the Titanic was built.

With that European game set for Windsor Park on Thursday evening, the Hoops won’t play domestically until Sunday, away to relegated Dundalk, two days after the other three title contenders play.

The Rovers management team were in Larne on Saturday to see their Conference League opponents score late to draw 1-1 against Crusaders. That was the night after the Hoops won in Drogheda to stay level on points with Derry City, two behind league leaders Shelbourne, and two ahead of St. Patrick’s Athletic.

Rovers kept themselves in the title hunt thanks to a “brilliant” goal by Dylan Watts against Drogheda United on Friday. The club’s Sporting Director Stephen McPhail spoke glowingly about the midfielder with extratime.com in Drogheda after a victory earned when Watts struck from distance six minutes from time.

“Dylan has that quality that he can hit it from there and it was an incredible strike, right into the top corner,” said McPhail. “He has been excellent (all season). Every aspect of his game has improved in terms of his mobility, his defensive work is top drawer and his quality on the ball speaks for itself. 

“He is nice and calm. He dictates games and I think he goes under the radar in the league. For me, he is the best midfielder in the country.”

Watts has six assists for the season – only Brandon Kavanagh (7) and Dayle Rooney (10) have more in the league; – and looking at the Wyscout stats his use of the ball stands out. 

Only Chris Forrester (1,573) has more passes than Watts (1,500) of a non-defensive player (Pico Lopes, Paddy Barrett and Dan Cleary all sit ahead), he sits joint fourth in key passes, third for passes into the final third and joint third for deep completions.

McPhail felt the late goal and the win was one that was deserved by his team against a Drogheda United side who must now face a relegation play-off after Bohs’ win in Sligo on Saturday night.

“It was a goal that was needed coming towards the end of the game. I thought it was going to be one of those nights when we just couldn't get it in, even though we created so many chances. We are delighted to get a massive three points.

“In the first half Dan (Cleary) had one cleared off the line and Marc (McNulty) hits the post. In the second half we took control of the game, created some good chances. Marc is marginally off side (for the disallowed goal). I could feel it coming and so it was brilliant when that hit the net.

"Leon (Pöhls) was excellent. He took crosses and made saves and Pico (Lopes), Dan and Lee (Grace) were excellent in defending the box.” 

Having won the match, when the results elsewhere on Friday filtered in, the top four had all picked up three points, with the only change being the ending of Galway United’s title aspirations after their loss to St. Pat’s.

“Having four teams that can win it is incredible. There has been a lot of crazy results this year - teams in and then out of form for long periods. It has been one of those seasons. Three months ago everyone was writing us off but with two games to go we are bang in it so let's see what happens.

“It is out of our hands what other teams do. We just have to take care of ourselves. If we can win two more games and we don't win the league, well that is it and you'll have to take it on the chin. We know we are still in it and I'm sure it will go to the wire.”

European test

Having begun the league stage of the Conference League with a home draw against APOEL – thanks to another late Watts goal - the Hoops will be looking to extend their season across the end of the calendar year and into the knock-out European stages in February by picking up points against Larne.

The likely target for qualification via the new Conference League format is seven points so a win in Belfast this week would be a major step towards that. A League of Ireland side has never lost a European match against Irish League opposition although Rovers have lost a tie.

In the 1984/85 European Cup, the Hoops held Linfield to a scoreless draw in the first leg played at Windsor Park but were eliminated when the second leg at Glenmalure Park ended 1-1 with the Blues advancing on away goals.

Larne logistics

The logistics for this European trip are very straightforward. There is no flying out of Shannon due to no slots in Dublin, no long trips across the continent to the likes of  North Macedonia (Shkupi) and Macedonia (PAOK) or having to stop on the way home to refuel in Liege.

Rovers will travel on Wednesday by bus up the M1 and will train in Windsor Park that evening before the match on Thursday with Rovers allocated 2,500 tickets for the North Stand.

“It is a tough game but there is not much messing in terms of travel and recovery. It is like going up to play Derry. We are treating it like that and with the early kick-off at 5.45pm it will help and we can get back home quickly.

"We went up a couple of weeks ago and again on Saturday to see them. They are a good team and know how to win. They had a great season last year and have good players.” 

Larne’s season so far

Northern Ireland champions Larne sit seventh in the 12 team Premiership, 11 points off league leaders Linfield. However, the Inver Reds have a backlog of fixtures. They have three games in hand on Linfield and four on the teams in second to fourth. They’ve lost just two of their nine league games played to date.

Larne lost their Champions League first qualifying round 7-0 on aggregate to Czech champions RFS and benefited with a bye in the Conference League second qualifying round when they dropped into that competition. They beat Ballkani from Kosovo 1-0 home and away in the third round.

Having lost to Lincoln Red Imps 2-1 in Gibraltar, they won the second leg 3-1 in Inver Park in the play-off round to become the first Northern Ireland side to make the elite stage of a UEFA competition.