Cosgrove on high alert for business end of the season
TOMAS Cosgrove has shrugged off the notion of feeling any pressure as the Sports Direct Premiership title fight enters its final days
Cosgrove and Larne are out to make it back-to-back Gibson Cup wins, but the former Cliftonville man — who has skippered the team again in recent weeks — admits he enjoys being the thick of an exciting race so late in the campaign.
Larne take on Glentoran at the Betmclean Oval tonight on the back of a thumping 8-1 win over Cliftonville on Saturday, which saw them return to the top of the table by a single point ahead of Linfield.
“You could be playing games until the Play-offs, like we have done a couple of times and you’d far rather be in the thick of it,” says Cosgrove.
“Having something to play for is great, it draws the big crowds, it makes you the live TV games and people tune in so we’re glad to be in this position, definitely.
“There’s been a lot made of our game with Linfield next week but as players, you can’t look to that.
“I’d say it goes for both teams, but we’re only looking at tonight’s game because anything could happen which changes the dynamic going into that game at Windsor. We’ll have a chance to reflect later in the week, but for now it’s all about Glentoran, nothing else matters.”
Larne travel to The Oval with four wins already under their belt against the east Belfast side this season but Cosgrove insists past form counts for nothing.
“It’s like going into one-off Cup Finals at this point, there’s no point in looking at form or what’s happened in the past,” he maintains.
“They’re a top six team, they have a new manager, they’ve got some good results under him, they’ve got top players and they’re at home, so the bottom line is we need to be right at it.
“You’d love to come out of the traps from the start and hopefully we can do that, but there’s no divine right to do that.
“Everyone is pulling the same direction — the fans, players, management, people behind the scenes — and we’ll keep doing what we can.”