Rovers search for home comforts in bid to boost rest of season
As he strives to rediscover his best form following a frustrating time out with injuries, Jack Byrne hopes their extended season can be both a blessing for him and Shamrock Rovers
Trailing 4-0 from last week’s first leg in Thessaloniki, it’s accepted that tonight’s return with Greek champions PAOK at Tallaght Stadium is an insurmountable obstacle for Rovers, with manager Stephen Bradley simply targeting winning the game on the night.
The focus then turns to Friday’s draw for the new Swiss-system league phase of the Conference League which had already been secured. How far they go in Europe could well define their season after a domestic campaign which has been uncharacteristically inconsistent.
In only his second 90 minutes of the season to date, Byrne produced perhaps his best display of the year in Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Galway United.
“It’s a plus for me the last couple of weeks to be back on the pitch,” said the 28-year-old midfielder (above) who provided the free-kick for Danny Mandroiu’s equaliser.
“Performances, I know they will come. I’m not worried about them. It’s just about getting used to being back on the pitch, being around bodies, tackling, all that kind of stuff.
“Getting shots away, getting crosses away, that’s my game. Twisting and turning. It’s been a plus for me over the last couple of weeks.”
Blessing
Qualifying for the new league phase in Europe means Rovers’ season will extend right up until the week before Christmas at least.
“I think it’s a blessing for me that we have that as it’s an extra six games,” said Ireland international Byrne who is set to start this evening.
“It prolongs my season having missed the first few months of it. It’s a real plus for me. I don’t necessarily need much more time off!
“It’s good to get back and hopefully build up those minutes.”
Sent off in the first leg at the Toumba Stadium last week, defender Josh Honohan is suspended tonight while Bradley is also without the injured Darragh Nugent, Aaron Greene and Trevor Clarke along with strikers Johnny Kenny and Rory Gaffney.
“Winning the tie is near on impossible,” accepts Bradley.
“When we went down to 10 [in Thessaloniki], they exposed us, which is what good teams do. They punished us.
“If it’s 2-0, you’re saying ‘right, we’re in the tie’. But 4-0 is extremely difficult.
“We can try to win the game and I think that’s important. It’s starting fresh against a good team, that doesn’t change.
“But the aim is ‘can we go and win the game?’ This is what we’re going to face in the league phase, so we can use that.”
A Rovers’ win here would certainly be an ideal boost for the rest of their campaign.