PAT FENLON RECKONS Shamrock Rovers’ added emphasis on experience over youth has been a key factor in their early season hike to the top of the Premier Division table.
Rovers visit second-placed Derry City tonight [7.45pm] looking to move 11 points clear of the Brandywell side and stretch their winning run to eight successive matches.
It’s also the beginning of a four-game sequence against the other members of the league’s top-half, with Bohemians, Dundalk and St. Patrick’s Athletic to follow over 10 days.
“I think they’ve addressed the main issue,” Fenlon told The42.
“They’ve gone away from, not nonsense, but playing a lot of young boys in the team.
“If you’re going to win a league title, you look at Dundalk and Cork over the last five years, there’s not been many young boys in those teams. That’s what it takes.
“I think what Rovers have at the moment is a team of men; established players that are experienced. They’ve spent some money bringing in other players and if you want to win league titles, which Shamrock Rovers should be doing, then that’s the way to do it.
You can try to develop [players] and they are doing it, but I don’t think it can take priority over what Rovers fans demand.”
The opposition, Declan Devine’s Derry, are winless against last season’s top-three — Dundalk, Cork and Rovers — this year, though three points would see them earn a fifth consecutive league triumph and bring them to within five of Rovers with a game in hand.
Regardless, Fenlon believes a European finish is more realistic for the Candystripes, as opposed to challenging for title honours.
“They’ve had a lot of transition with players and a new manager so it’s a great achievement on their behalf to be up at the top-end of the table.
“Going into a big game, they’ll look at it and feel, eight points behind Rovers, that if they were to win and win their game in hand, they could move really close [to Rovers].
“Confidence-wise, it’s always a great help if you can beat the big teams. But I think what Derry will look at is: can they maintain the chase for Europe, rather than winning a league title? If they were to achieve that, with Declan having only come in, they would class that as success.
“It’s a massive game for both clubs.”
Looking specifically ahead to Rovers’ programme over the week-and-a-bit to come, especially next Friday’s visit to the champions, Fenlon feels the Hoops have a golden opportunity to make the fixture a must-win for Dundalk by prevailing against both Derry and Bohs.
Indeed, he feels, with how they’re playing and their vast spread of goalscorers, Stephen Bradley’s team are in a position to do just that.
“I think they’re capable of picking up six points. I’m not saying that’s going to happen, but they definitely have the players to do it; they’re in great form and the confidence is high.
“They know they’re big points and you mightn’t see things change too much [personnel-wise]. If they go to Oriel in the position they’re in, then it’s a must-win game for Dundalk.
“I know if I was looking at it, I’d be saying: ‘well, if I can come through these four games and have the lead that I have at the moment, then it’s a huge, huge advantage’.”
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