STEPHEN KENNY SAYS “it was a long two weeks” and the St Patrick’s Athletic training ground “wasn’t a pleasant place to be” since their shock 3-0 defeat to Cork City in the FAI Cup semi-final.
The Leesiders have since been relegated from the Premier Division while the Saints revitalised their own European hopes with a 1-0 win over Shamrock Rovers last night.
Facing Stephen Bradley’s side so soon after their Turner’s Cross horror show was a timely reminder of what might have been as the Hoops now play Cork with a league and couple double on the line.
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Victory for Rovers would also mean the side that finishes second in the league will qualify for the Europa League qualifiers with Uefa Conference League progress extending to fourth place.
Bohemians currently occupy that spot in the table but only due to a superior plus-four goal difference over Drogheda United. The Gypsies host Pat’s in a crucial Dublin derby on Monday and if Kenny’s men can back up last night’s success with another win they will leapfrog both clubs.
It’s a long way from the low ebb Kenny and his players endured after defeat to Cork and the introspection that followed.
“How tough were the conversations I had to have with myself first and foremost! I don’t do defeat too well. Yeah it was a long two weeks, a long two weeks for them (players) and our place wasn’t a pleasant place to be over the last two weeks but we knuckled down, worked extremely hard to give everything of ourselves and showed a high technical level I felt, and that was important,” the Pat’s manager said, highlighting the contribution made by his captain.
“Joe Redmond led the team brilliantly. We found an edge [against Rovers] that showed his capabilities as a centre back and as a leader, and that edge he brought was fantastic to see. He’s had to manage some injury issues and so forth but I thought he showed real physicality and great mobility tonight because they play two up front and were throwing extra forwards on but we dealt with it brilliantly.”
Kenny says defenders Sean Hoare and Anto Breslin, midfielder Romal Palmer and striker Aidan Keena are returning to fitness for the final three games of the season. He says his players “have the capabilities” to find the consistency required to win all three but admits “we’ll have to wait and see” if they can deliver.
“Well we’re not patting ourselves too much on the back because it’s just one game [last night] and we’ve got to get ready for Monday now and that’s a different challenge. We knew it was a game that we needed to win to put us into contention for Europe and we managed to win. It was a good win and now we move onto Monday.”
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'How tough were the conversations I had to have with myself first and foremost'
STEPHEN KENNY SAYS “it was a long two weeks” and the St Patrick’s Athletic training ground “wasn’t a pleasant place to be” since their shock 3-0 defeat to Cork City in the FAI Cup semi-final.
The Leesiders have since been relegated from the Premier Division while the Saints revitalised their own European hopes with a 1-0 win over Shamrock Rovers last night.
Facing Stephen Bradley’s side so soon after their Turner’s Cross horror show was a timely reminder of what might have been as the Hoops now play Cork with a league and couple double on the line.
Victory for Rovers would also mean the side that finishes second in the league will qualify for the Europa League qualifiers with Uefa Conference League progress extending to fourth place.
Bohemians currently occupy that spot in the table but only due to a superior plus-four goal difference over Drogheda United. The Gypsies host Pat’s in a crucial Dublin derby on Monday and if Kenny’s men can back up last night’s success with another win they will leapfrog both clubs.
It’s a long way from the low ebb Kenny and his players endured after defeat to Cork and the introspection that followed.
“How tough were the conversations I had to have with myself first and foremost! I don’t do defeat too well. Yeah it was a long two weeks, a long two weeks for them (players) and our place wasn’t a pleasant place to be over the last two weeks but we knuckled down, worked extremely hard to give everything of ourselves and showed a high technical level I felt, and that was important,” the Pat’s manager said, highlighting the contribution made by his captain.
“Joe Redmond led the team brilliantly. We found an edge [against Rovers] that showed his capabilities as a centre back and as a leader, and that edge he brought was fantastic to see. He’s had to manage some injury issues and so forth but I thought he showed real physicality and great mobility tonight because they play two up front and were throwing extra forwards on but we dealt with it brilliantly.”
Kenny says defenders Sean Hoare and Anto Breslin, midfielder Romal Palmer and striker Aidan Keena are returning to fitness for the final three games of the season. He says his players “have the capabilities” to find the consistency required to win all three but admits “we’ll have to wait and see” if they can deliver.
“Well we’re not patting ourselves too much on the back because it’s just one game [last night] and we’ve got to get ready for Monday now and that’s a different challenge. We knew it was a game that we needed to win to put us into contention for Europe and we managed to win. It was a good win and now we move onto Monday.”
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highs and lows League of Ireland LOI Soccer St. Patrick's Athletic Stephen Kenny