Grace calling for Rovers consistency

It was a painful early exit in the FAI Cup this season for Shamrock Rovers losing 1-0 away to First Division side Drogheda United in the first round. 

With no league fixtures set on the same weekend as every cup round this season, the Hoops have been idle three weekends over the last six weeks – making forgetting their cup elimination all the more difficult.

However with no cup distractions, the Hoops have hit top form in the league with six wins in their last seven matches. This Friday Rovers take on Cork City in league action as they continue their quest to secure European football for next season. 

City meanwhile may well have cup matters on their minds as the late Kieran Sadlier equaliser from the penalty spot at Dalymount Park last Sunday against Bohs has set up an FAI Cup semi-final replay in Turners Cross next Monday night. The Leesiders are looking to become only the second club ever to win three-cups-in-row - Shamrock Rovers have managed to do so on four occasions.

“The first round killed us,” admitted Lee Grace speaking about the cup defeat against Drogheda. Grace received a red card mid-way through the first half for a professional foul with the subsequent penalty scored knocking the Hoops out.

“My sending-off didn't help. Drogheda, to be fair, played well that night but we weren't up to our standards. Even with my sending off, on another night if we were up to our standards we could have done it. That's cup football – you can't slip up in any way.”

The following week Rovers lost in the league at home to Bohemians when Grace was suspended – the only league game he has missed this season. Rovers have won their subsequent four league games.

Defensively, they have conceded only two goals in their last 11 league matches, coinciding with Gavin Bazunu (set to be confirmed this week as a Manchester City player from next summer) and Alan Mannus taking over in goal for the Hoops.

Lee Grace’s performance in the back line has certainly also helped these defensive metrics. The former Galway United central defender has been one of the stand out players for the Hoops this season.

“I've loved it,” said the 25-year-old speaking about his time in Tallaght since joining mid-way through last season. “I came in and the set-up alone just blew me away. No disrespect to Galway, but it's two or three steps above. It's blown me away and I'm loving it.”



While Rovers have been off the pace in the title race this season, their results against the top sides haven’t been too far off the mark. They have taken four points against both Cork and Waterford (who the Hoops have played three times each to date). They also garnered four points from their four games against Dundalk.

“Our head-to-head with Dundalk and Cork is quite good this year and, looking back on it, that's why we're disappointed. It's against the other teams that aren't as good as Cork and Dundalk is where we're slipping up. We have to be more consistent. 

“The big games look after themselves - the Cork, Dundalk, and Waterford games this year - because you can get yourself up for them. It's the lesser teams that are killing us. 

“On a personal level I'm happy enough with my form but on a team level it's not good enough to be fair. We want to be challenging this year at least for first or second spot. The patch in the middle of the season kind of killed us but we're after getting it together in the last few weeks and we'll just try and finish the season strong.”

The Hoops sit third in the table two points clear of Waterford with four matches remaining. Rovers will welcome Waterford to Tallaght for their last home game of the season. If Cork City can beat Bohs on Monday to set up yet another City and Dundalk cup final, fourth place will be good enough for European qualification. 

“It's not Europe we're looking for, it's third. It's the highest possible position we can. We're aiming for third and it's a shootout between ourselves and Waterford now. 



“We've finished the last two seasons strongly. Last season we were nine points behind Derry with a few games to go and we eventually caught them. It's the same this year with Waterford.” 

Additional reporting by Dave Donnelly

    About Macdara Ferris

    Macdara Ferris is a contributor since 2007 to Hoops Scene (Shamrock Rovers' match day programme) and is the co-author of two books on Shamrock Rovers - 'Tallaght Time: Shamrock Rovers 2009 to 2012' (with Karl … View Full Profile