HOOPS WON’T ROLL OVER IN TITLE RACE

SHAMROCK ROVERS

JOEY O’BRIEN believes Shamrock Rovers will take some stopping this season.

The former West Ham and Ireland defender played his part in the Hoops 3-1 demolition of Finn Harps last Saturday.

And it sets the league leaders up for Sunday’s tricky test away to Derry City at the Brandywell.

With 12 games to go, the title race is already on as the Hoops chase a first league crown since 2011.

“The aim is the same,” said O’brien (above). “When we won the cup final in November, the aim was then to win the league. And it doesn’t matter how many games it is. You’ll have teams who think it benefits Shamrock Rovers but I look at the last few years and think the longer seasons benefited Shamrock Rovers.

“You look at last season late doors, when we went unbeaten and then into the cup final, that benefited us. It’s going to make it exciting to watch and for players to play in – every game is going to matter at the top and bottom of the league.

“As a fan myself, I want to see Shamrock Rovers win every game. And that’s the mentality as a player – if it’s 40 games or five.”