EA Sports Cup Final : Sligo Rovers vs Monaghan United 5.30pm Setanta Sports

gustavo

http://sligorovers.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1003:ea-sports-cup-final-preview&catid=13:news&Itemid=246

Sligo Rovers take on Monaghan United in the EA Sports Cup final in The Showgrounds on Saturday, live on Setanta Sports at 5:30pm.

The Bit o' Red have defeated Letterkenny Rovers, St Patrick's Athletic and Shamrock Rovers on route to the final.

They go into the game without Richard Brush and Mauro Almeida due to long-term injury, but Paul Cook has no other injury or suspension worries.

Cook has warned that the match will be a big test for his side. Monaghan lost 3-0 to Rovers last weekend in an FAI Cup quarter-final in The Showgrounds.

Cook said: 'There all different sorts of criteria for finals. It is on the day. I think Monaghan will respect the fact that we beat them last Saturday, we beat them quite convincingly. But by the same yardstick, it is a completely different game now.

'Monaghan come for a one-off game, it'll be finished Saturday night. If you do make mistakes or get people sent off it could come back to haunt you.'

The Rovers manager has revealed he has not been pushing his players too hard in the run-up to the game after a rigorous schedule with league and cup games.

'At the minute we've got no injuries and no suspensions. We just had four games in two weeks so it was important we got rest into the lads. We needed to prepare them and prepare their minds properly for what will be a very tough encounter.'

In 2009, Rovers reached the final of the FAI Cup, only to lose to Sporting Fingal in a dramatic conclusion in Tallaght Stadium.

Cook has stated that the EA Sports final with represent a different propositon. While it will be an extremely difficult tie, he believes Fingal and Monaghan have few similarities.

'I don't think there are a lot of similarities. I think it is a completely different opponent. We played a Fingal team that were First Division in name-only. I think what we're playing in Monaghan is a First Division club.

'They are a part-time club, they've got a very low budget and the manager has done fantastically well to achieve the success he has. Sporting Fingal had a full-time set-up, a large budget and were a team full of Premier Division players. It's a completely different game.'

Rovers have risen to fourth in the Premier Division table and , as well as being in the EA Sports final, they have reached the last four of the FAI Cup. Despite the fantastic position the Bit o' Red find themselves in, Cook has stressed the job is far from complete.

'We've been playing consistently well for a long period but at the end of the season we all say the same things.

'The league table will not lie and then two trophies will be handed out. We've got a chance to put our hands on both.'

Monaghan and the Bit o' Red reached an agreement to play the final in The Showgrounds. The Rovers boss is calling on the home supporters to get behind the team from the off to try and help add to 'a long and glorious history' of the club.

'We're delighted to have the final here. The game is close to a sell-out, which is great. It is live on television. The playing surface is to a good standard so it has got all the ingredients to be a really good cup tie. Myself and Mick Cooke will try to do the league proud and put a good spectacle for everyone.

'I want the supporters to get behind the team from the first minute. Loads of encouragement, loads of noise and loads of colour. Make it a special occasion because if you look back we've won the League Cup once in our history. We've got a long and glorious history and we've only won it once.

'To win the League Cup another time puts some more silverware in the cabinet. It goes towards the history of the club and Saturday we have an opportunity if we all play our part - fans, players and staff alike, then we can get that success we need.'

Cook is now at the club for three-and-a-half years and in that time Rovers have played in two League Cup semis, an FAI Cup final and a Europa League first round match. He hopes the experience will help his side's cause on Saturday evening.

'Our lads have played a lot of big games now. I keep telling people about experience. We’ve played against Vllaznia, FAI Cup finals, League Cup semi-finals, big big games. So we’ve got no problem with nerves or the expectancy of crowds.'

There are 200 tickets left for the game at the time of writing. They are adult tickets and are on sale in The Showgrounds office.Sligo Rovers cannot guarantee any tickets will be on sale before the game and encourage supporters interested in purchasing them to make enquries to The Showgrounds office as soon as possible.

CiaranC

Fair play to Sligo selling it out. Ill be up for Mons though.