Club name: Shamrock Rovers
Stadium: Tallaght Stadium
Manager: Michael O’Neill
Founded: 1901
Finished last season: 1st
Players in: Gary McCabe (Sligo Rovers); Stephen O’Donnell (Galway United); Karl Sheppard (Galway United); Ciaran Kilduff (UCD); Dean Kelly (Oldham Athletic); Ken Oman (Bohemians); Gary O’Neill (Sporting Fingal); Ronan Finn (Sporting Fingal); Conor McCormack (Triestine); Ryan Thompson
Players out: Stephen Bradley (St. Patrick’s Athletic); Danny Murphy (Cork City); Don Cowan (Longford Town); Jason Oladele (Longford Town); James Chambers (Hamilton Academical); Robert Bayly (Bohemians); Aidan Price (Bohemians); Dessie Baker (Retired)
Having finally reached the promised land after sixteen years in the wilderness, an air of quiet expectation has descended upon Shamrock Rovers.
Michael O’Neill has been the one spending all the money this off-season, picking up a huge amount of the league’s top talent as other sides simply struggled to make ends meet. Sheppard, O’Donnell, Kilduff, Oman, O’Neill and Finn are all players of the highest quality. There are few sides in the country that would turn down the opportunity to sign any one of them, let alone all six.
If there is a weakness in the Rovers set-up, it might be that the squad is slightly top-heavy. The departure of defenders Aidan Price and Danny Murphy has left Rovers looking thin at the back, with Oman the only new recruit that would be ready to slot in immediately.
Man for man, Rovers have the strongest squad in the country without question. If new and old can meld together to function as unit – and if the Hoops faithful don’t allow themselves to get too distracted by this summer’s European adventure – the league title could be staying in Tallaght for the foreseeable future.
If they were a TD, they’d be? Enda Kenny. Dead and buried a few years ago but now the top dog in the country.
The Score’s verdict: Champions.
View from the terrace
Macdara Ferris, “Hoops Scene” contributor
Where will you finish this season? Rovers should retain the championship. The fact that Bohemians have lost so many players and Sporting Fingal went out of business, coupled with the improved squad Michael O’Neill has assembled in Tallaght, makes most Hoops fans quite confident.
How will you do on opening weekend? Home win. We beat Dundalk 2-0 up in Oriel Park in the Leinster Senior League as part of the build up to start of this season. The players won’t want a repeat of the 5-1 defeat which we suffered in our last league encounter during the title run-in.
Key man? Our key man has to be Gary Twigg. He has scored 44 league goals in his two seasons with us and his goals were crucial to us winning the league last term.
Weak link? Hard to say as we have certainly strengthened the squad especially up front. Maybe our defence could be the weak link as we don’t have as much cover as in midfield or up front. An injury to goalkeeper Alan Mannus could give us difficulties as well.
New signing you’re most looking forward to seeing? We have been lucky with the quality of signings in the 2011 squad, but if I have to pick out one player it would be Karl Sheppard. He is only 20, has bags of potential, and the fans certainly remember the goals he scored against Bohs last season which went a long way to helping us win the league!
League’s best player (outside your club)? Some of the league’s better players have left over the close season to go to England. One player who I always enjoying watching, even when he is playing against us, is Joseph Ndo. On his day, he’s the best in the league.
League’s best gaffer (outside your club)? Paul Cook. His side are up there with ourselves in playing good football. It will be interesting to see how he will handle the pressure this season with Sligo being one of the favourites for the league.
Easiest fixture? Drogheda United. They are only in the top division due to Sporting Fingal’s demise and they have had their own financial difficulties in recent seasons.
Toughest fixture? Derry City away. I think Derry on their return to the top flight will be quite strong
Best away atmosphere? Derry City. It’s quite a unique fixture as you have to travel out of the ‘jurisdiction’. Playing in the historic Bogside in front of a full house makes for a great atmosphere.
Worst away atmosphere? Rovers tend to bring probably the largest away contingent to games and we can generate our own atmosphere. I might actually say the trip to Dalymount as we are normally placed on the crumbling Connaught Street side – I believe Linfield’s fans were the only others who had to stand there last season. The fact that we have no roof over our heads doesn’t help the atmosphere, but then again, neither have Rovers’ results in recent years!
Favourite terrace chant? Many football chants are ‘inspired’ by similar songs sung elsewhere in Ireland or Britain but I think we have some unique songs at Rovers such as “Two Little Boys” and a David Essex song called “Hold Me Close” which is my favourite.
