Failure will prove costly for Rovers

Eircom League Premier Division / Dublin City (2) v Shamrock Rovers (1): Having watched as their club's home was sold to builders, its team ended up at Dalymount Park and tales of its financial decline became the stuff of tragi-comic legend, long-term fans of Shamrock Rovers probably reckoned they'd seen it all by now.

Anything less than a convincing win over Dublin City at Tolka Park this evening, though, and the side's long-suffering supporters will wake up tomorrow to the start of a painful new chapter in the fall and fall of their beloved Hoops.

With the once youthful wing of those who can remember the latter end of the club's "glory days" now approaching middle age, it hasn't quite come to this overnight. However, the prospect of life in the first division, something supporters might have to start coming to terms with around 10 o'clock this evening, would still be a major shock to fans whose fierce loyalty is perhaps only outstripped by their point-blank refusal to accept that the club has long ceased to be a serious force in the game here.

Its status would be further diminished, however, by relegation from the top flight while the efforts of those who recently took over the club with the aim of revitalising it would suffer a considerable setback at what is already proving to be a difficult time.

"Obviously if it does happen it would mean lower gate receipts - we'd miss out on the Dublin derbies for a start - and a drop in sponsorship revenues," says club director Dave Carpenter. "It's a blow we could do without, there's no doubt about that, but if it does happen then, so be it, we'll have to cope with it and I'd hope that a lot of structures are in place so that we could bounce back quite quickly."

The preparations for such an important game have hardly been ideal. Manager Roddy Collins is still suspended and Alan O'Neill is still getting to grips with the panel of players he has taken over.

Worse still, regular goalkeeper Barry Murphy looks set to miss tonight's match after picking up an injury in Tuesday's 2-1 defeat and so John Walsh, who has been concentrating on Gaelic football since playing his last Eircom League game for Bray Wanderers against Dublin City two years ago, could start ahead of John Blake who replaced Murphy in Tuesday's game.

"He's a good goalkeeper who knows what's what in terms of the league and we're lucky to have him," says former Rovers goalkeeper O'Neill - Rovers received a special dispensation from the league allowing them to sign Walsh.

"What happens, though, will be down to the team as a whole. We need a dramatic improvement over Tuesday's performance and the lads have to show that they want it. They're not short of motivation," he adds. "Everybody remembers the four-in-a-row Shamrock Rovers team of the eighties and none of this side want to go down as a member of the Rovers team that went down 20 years later."

So closely associated with that great team of two decades ago, manager Dermot Keely has a full squad to choose from as his Dublin City side seek to press home their advantage this evening.

"I'd expect a vastly improved performance from Rovers," he says, "but the lads here are fired up for it. People talk about it being a tragedy if Rovers go down, but for us it would be a tragedy not to go up."

Meanwhile, former Dublin City and Athlone Town manager John Gill, has been officially appointed as Jim Gannon's successor at Dundalk.

"I'm thrilled," he said after being unveiled by the club. "The club has had its problems but show me an Eircom League that doesn't have problems of one sort or another.

"For me it's a fantastic opportunity and I'm very excited about getting down to work. Nobody has talked to me about promotion and I haven't made any promises but obviously we'll be looking to move forward and if we fail it won't be for the want of effort or professionalism.

"The budget has been cut to the point where the club is probably living within its means for the first time in its recent history but I've inherited a set-up that's in very good shape thanks to Jim Gannon and I'm hoping, if I can persuade them to make a little bit of sacrifice in order to be part of something successful, to keep a lot of the same lads on board."

With tickets sales for Sunday week's FAI Cup final continuing to go well, meanwhile, the Football Association of Ireland has said it now intends to open up Lansdowne Road's East Upper Stand on the day. Tickets for the game are available from both Drogheda United and Cork City as well as from Ticketmaster outlets, priced €25 and €10 (stand), €15 and €5 (terrace).

Tolka Park, 8.05

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