TEN IS NOT SO PERFECT

Hoops defender Grace admits Rovers cannot keep on giving opponents a man advantage

LEE GRACE has saluted Shamrock Rovers’ show of resilience after they saw off Dundalk with yet another numerical disadvantage.

But while the Hoops got on the right road again after back-to-back defeats, the defender knows Rovers have to start helping themselves too.

Skipper Ronan Finn was sent off early in the second half at Tallaght Stadium, becoming the champions’ seventh dismissal of the season.

The week before Richie Towell, Johnny Kenny and Sean Hoare were all controversially sent packing when losing narrowly in Cork.

Boss Stephen Bradley tore into the match officials after that but Rovers’ management and team all accepted that Finn’s dismissal was just.

But heading for Sligo tonight – where Roberto Lopes was sent off at the start of the season – Grace knows that Rovers can’t keep shooting themselves in the foot.

He joked: “We’re getting used to going down to 10 men at this stage! Nah, look, Finner had to make a decision.

“He thought he was going to get the ball, a last minute thing. To be fair, he probably made the right decision.

“Another two yards further and it’s a penalty and they probably score. But I thought we were brilliant with 10 men and everyone dug in and we got the second goal.

“We’re comfortable when we go down to 10 men. We still have players to keep the ball when we’re under pressure in tight little pockets.”

Grace wants to close out a challenging 10-day spell with another victory and preserve – or extend – Rovers’ lead at the top, having reclaimed it from Derry on Friday.

And the centre-back has praised Bradley for keeping minds focused despite the disfan traction caused by sickening taunts about his ill son at Turner’s Cross.

“The stuff in Cork with the gaffer and his family was bottom of the barrel stuff. There’s no place in football for that,” said Grace. “He was brilliant all week and I don’t think there was any panic either after losing two games.

“We don’t like losing but it was business as usual at training with heads down, lads working hard and it showed on Friday, thank God.”

Grace feels Rovers can really hit their stride heading into the summer schedule, with Europe looming on the horizon. He added:

“We would like to kick on now and run away with the league but it’s never as easy as that. We have to take care of our own business.

“The last few years after the summer break we usually kick on.

Hopefully, it’ll be more of the same this year.”

Sligo’s form is erratic with one win and four defeats in their last five games – including Friday’s defeat at Bohs

– but Bradley feels they are underrated.

“I said when they came to Tallaght – and I genuinely feel it – they caused us the most problems. They will feel unlucky they didn’t leave with a point or three points,” he said. “They beat Derry last week and they can be a tough team to play. They’ve had a tough last few weeks but I’ve no doubt it’ll be a difficult game.”