Gary Rogers: 'Football is a game of fine margins and we were on the wrong side of it'

Receiving the FAI Cup man of the match award was no consolation for Gary Rogers after losing Sunday’s FAI Cup Final but the Dundalk goalkeeper believes the Lilywhites can challenge for silverware again next season.

 

Rogers made a number of saves throughout the game that went to 120 minutes and into penalties, including an outstanding stop in the final minute of normal time, keeping out Garry Buckley’s flick to send the game to extra time.

 

“Obviously it’s good to play well in a cup final but ultimately you want to be coming out with the silverware,” Rogers told extratime.ie after the match in the Aviva Stadium.

 

“Unfortunately we didn’t do that today. That’s life. That’s football. Football is a game of fine margins and we were on the wrong side of it today.”

 

While Dundalk’s were beaten to league and FAI Cup this year by Cork, they did manage to come away with a league cup title – beating Shamrock Rovers 3-0 in the final played in Tallaght Stadium.

 



However, it is the league, which Dundalk had won in 2014, 2015 and 2016, that is already the target for Rogers next season, although the ‘keeper was quick to praise Cork City on campturing Dundalk’s league crown and their overall success this season.

 

“We’ll regroup, and if we can keep the bulk of our squad together for next season, then I think we are in a really good position to be challenging again for silverware,” Rogers said.

 

“Everyone wants to win the league. That’s what it is about. It gets you into the Champions League and we’ll certainly be targeting that league title.

 



“We had been league winners for the last three seasons and obviously we were disappointed to lose out this year,” Rogers said.

 

“But look, Cork have had a fantastic season this year, so we will just have to go about our business next season and try and reclaim the league title first and foremost.”