| Flannery, Judge set to add firepower to strike force |
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| Friday, 13 April 2007 | |
 WITH just one recognised striker available to him since the start of the season, Sligo Rovers caretaker manager, Leo Tierney, is hoping that Sean Flannery or Matthew Judge will be fit enough to at least make the bench for Friday night’s trip to title chasing, Drogheda United, at United Park (Kick-off 7.45pm).
By Michael Moran, Courtesy, The Sligo Champion The lack of firepower up front was clearly evident in the one-nil defeat to Bohemians at the weekend, and Tierney is anxious to add more strength to the Rovers attack as quickly as possible. “Having just one striker is not an ideal situation by any means. We are working with both Sean and Matthew in a bid to have at least one of them available. “We need to get their match fitness up and the only way we can do that is to have them playing,” he added. Flannery-injured last term- seemed to be on his way out of the Showgrounds when former manager, Rob McDonald, initially introduced his all full-time policy at the club. Former Luton Town frontman Judge also seemed to be set to leave during the close season, but both strikers have now returned and are back in training. Tierney has expressed disappointment at the outcome of Friday night’s encounter at Dalymount Park, ruing some lost opportunities to have taken at least a point against ex-manager, Sean Connor. “We were all very disappointed not to get something. I think our overall performance deserved it. We were certainly worth a point, but we did not take our chances and Bohemians took theirs, that was the difference in the end,” he said. “It was not a case of us failing to make chances. We did. Unfortunately, our finishing was not as good as theirs and that is something we have to look at and will hopefully put right,” Tierney added. “We need firepower up front. Maybe we had the better opportunities in the first-half, but if you don’t finish you often don’t get anything,” he argued. Tierney again praised the effort and commitment shown by the Rovers players, repeating that the side needs “a cutting edge.” “Sean Connor publicly declared that we probably deserved something from the match. I couldn’t fault the workrate from the lads, it was excellent,” he added. Drogheda will pose another formidable test for Rovers. The Boynesiders are unbeaten to date and are lying in second place behind leaders, St. Patrick’s Athletic-the next visitors to the Showgrounds. However, Tierney remains in upbeat mood and feels Rovers are capable of getting a result. “We have already proven to ourselves that we can match these teams and we will be ‘up’ for the challenge against Drogheda. “We will obviously need a bit of luck and perhaps the chances that didn’t go in against Bohs will turn for us. “We do, however, need another forward on board. Not taking anything away from Rafael(Cretaro) or Faz (Kuduzovic), who have been super for us playing as strikers, but we need a bit of punch in attack,” said Tierney. While Gavin Peers and Gary Curran will miss the Drogheda encounter with injury, Conor O’Grady returns from a two match suspension. In the absence of Peers, Hungarian international, Zoltan Vasas, will partner Jamie McKenzie at the heart of the Rovers defence. Vasas made his competitive debut against Bohemians and earned a warm tribute from his carekaker manager. “I thought Zoltan did very well in what was a difficult game for him to come in to. Jamie, Keith Foy and Seamus Coleman helped him all through and it was a good start for him,” said Tierney. |
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