Euro sides taking no chances
DUNDALK
WATERFORD
OFFICIALS: Referee: Ray Matthews Assistants: M Gavin, D Keegan
A Reale
JOHN SHERIDAN is determined to make it another difficult night for Dundalk – if his Waterford can play like they did in the second-half of this week’s FAI Cup tie.
The Blues made six changes from Saturday’s league draw with Cork for the 1-0 Cup defeat at
Oriel Park and, making a swift return to the venue in the league tonight, Sheridan, inset, said: “I’ll try and play whether it’s my strongest team or a team I think is going to try and get something from the game.
“If we perform like we did, they’ll be in for a tough game. The league programme, obviously, is our priority.
We’ll come to try and win the game but we know it’s going to be very difficult.
“They are a good group of lads, they give me 110 per cent. I know I’m going to get that from kick off, it’s that bit of nous and cleverness we miss sometimes and it makes us vulnerable. “It’s little things like making better decisions quicker, it gives us a problem because if we are attacking in good areas and someone makes a bad decision, we’re on the back foot. “The work ethic is very good, it’s just that little bit of cleverness and cuteness.”
SHAMROCK ROVERS players, staff and officials were tested for Covid-19 yesterday ahead of their European campaign.
All four clubs in European competition – Dundalk, Stephen Bradley’s Rovers, Bohemians and Derry City – have now been tested.
The tests at Rovers, Bohs and Derry’s are in keeping with UEFA guidelines ahead of their Europa League matches on August 27.
The Hoops play Finnish Cup holders Ilves Tamper in Tallaght while Bohs are in Hungary to play Fehervar with Derry meeting Riteriai in Lithuania.
Covid testing is not mandatory until closer to those games when UEFA stipulate two rounds of additional testing.
But the Irish clubs are pulling out the stops to avoid a scenario where Kosovan side Drita handed Linfield a Champions League walkover after positive tests.