O'Neill welcomes cup distraction
Credit:
Shamrock Rovers manager Michael O’Neill believes that Sunday’s FAI
Cup semi-final game with St. Patrick’s Athletic has come at the right
time for his side.
In the last few weeks Rovers have suffered four defeats in five league games. O’Neill told extratime that Sunday’s game is a welcome break from the league for his players. He said, “I think the cup is a welcome distraction at all times; whether you are going well in the league or whether your league form is not so good. I think the players will welcome maybe a break from the league there has been a lot of scrutiny in the last two to three weeks in terms of league and the points situation. We now go into a cup competition. We’ve come through three rounds and we want to make sure we go one more and give everyone a chance to have a great day out at the end of the season.”
With the focus very much on Rovers coming into this game the former Northern Ireland International admitted there was pressure on his side but no different than other games. He said, “There’s always pressure. When you get to a semi-final everyone wants that day out and the added attraction this year is that the final is being played in Aviva which is a huge carrot. The pressure will be there for both sides and for both managers. That’s what you want. If it wasn’t there the attractiveness of the game wouldn’t have such an appeal.”
O’Neill is well aware of the importance of Sunday’s game for both himself and the players. And not only is it a cup semi-final, it’s also a Dublin derby. The players are up for the game and he believes it will be a good game. “It is a huge game and probably comes at the right time for us; a break from the league situation and a game for everyone to look forward to it. I think both ourselves and Pat’s have both had good seasons and it’ll be a very competitive game. The games have been extremely close between the teams this season. We’ve had the upper hand on three occasions, they obviously had the upper hand once in Tallaght. All the ingredients are there for a good game.”
“I think the game will be an end to end game. There will be goals in it and there’ll be loads of chances. I think both teams will go at it to try and win the game,” added O’Neill.
The Rovers boss was full of praise for their opponents and knows what his side have to do if they are to reach their first FAI Cup Final since 2002, when they lost to Derry City. “Pat’s have been up there competing right ‘til the end, they deserve a lot of credit for that. I think people probably didn’t give them the credit they deserved and we’ll just have to make sure that we are right for the game. No doubt the players will be. Hopefully we can go that one step and get ourselves through to the final,” said O’Neill.
In the last few weeks Rovers have suffered four defeats in five league games. O’Neill told extratime that Sunday’s game is a welcome break from the league for his players. He said, “I think the cup is a welcome distraction at all times; whether you are going well in the league or whether your league form is not so good. I think the players will welcome maybe a break from the league there has been a lot of scrutiny in the last two to three weeks in terms of league and the points situation. We now go into a cup competition. We’ve come through three rounds and we want to make sure we go one more and give everyone a chance to have a great day out at the end of the season.”
With the focus very much on Rovers coming into this game the former Northern Ireland International admitted there was pressure on his side but no different than other games. He said, “There’s always pressure. When you get to a semi-final everyone wants that day out and the added attraction this year is that the final is being played in Aviva which is a huge carrot. The pressure will be there for both sides and for both managers. That’s what you want. If it wasn’t there the attractiveness of the game wouldn’t have such an appeal.”
O’Neill is well aware of the importance of Sunday’s game for both himself and the players. And not only is it a cup semi-final, it’s also a Dublin derby. The players are up for the game and he believes it will be a good game. “It is a huge game and probably comes at the right time for us; a break from the league situation and a game for everyone to look forward to it. I think both ourselves and Pat’s have both had good seasons and it’ll be a very competitive game. The games have been extremely close between the teams this season. We’ve had the upper hand on three occasions, they obviously had the upper hand once in Tallaght. All the ingredients are there for a good game.”
“I think the game will be an end to end game. There will be goals in it and there’ll be loads of chances. I think both teams will go at it to try and win the game,” added O’Neill.
The Rovers boss was full of praise for their opponents and knows what his side have to do if they are to reach their first FAI Cup Final since 2002, when they lost to Derry City. “Pat’s have been up there competing right ‘til the end, they deserve a lot of credit for that. I think people probably didn’t give them the credit they deserved and we’ll just have to make sure that we are right for the game. No doubt the players will be. Hopefully we can go that one step and get ourselves through to the final,” said O’Neill.
