Friday’s match In Weaver’s Park kicks off at 7.45pm – Coverage on LOITV

A 2-0 defeat in Dundalk last Friday. How did you see that game?

I said at the time that it was a poor-quality game from both teams, and I still feel that way. Neither team had any real control of the game. We had a few chances before they scored, they took their two chances. Overall I was disappointed and frustrated with the performance and the outcome. 

Their goals are a great strike and a very good header from the free kick but was conceding the two in three minutes a disappointment on our end?

They were good goals from their point of view, but really poor to concede from ours. We gave them away in quick succession, not ideal, it was a poor night all around for us.

Johnny had a first-half chance and you brought on Rory and Graham, who almost scored at the end but did you feel we created enough opportunities to deserve something from the game?

I did – as I said there was no real pattern in the game, no overall control from either team, we had a couple of chances before they scored out of nothing. The first goal was a great strike from their centre half, but we should have taken our chances. 

Drogheda are always a team hard to beat on a tight pitch. Are you confident we can play our game up there and return to winning ways?

That’s what we have to focus on, getting back to playing the way we know we can play. Everything else will look after itself, we’ll focus on what we do and getting back to our levels. 

Rovers’ run against Drogheda in the league will be talked about. The Tallaght game was obviously an unlucky one to lose and the first meeting away had two red cards, but Drogheda have make certainly made life difficult for us in recent times.

Drogheda and Cork have taken points off us this year, so we know we’ll have a difficult game, but if you offer us the performance that we had against Drogheda in Tallaght, we’ll take it, with a different outcome. If we bring that level of performance we won’t be too far away. 

They have lost a couple of important players but what do you think they do well that gets results against teams high in the table, and what can give Rovers the edge on the night?

Drogheda’s game has always to defend deep and play in transition and they have been good at that against certain teams and won games that way, we know how that’s they play as well as being efficient in the final third, and we have to respect that and be good in those moments. We controlled the majority of the game in Tallaght but we weren’t good in those moments and they punished us. 

Aaron Greene returned in Dundalk but you left Jack Byrne out of the squad. Are Jack, Ronan Finn, Gary O’Neill and Lee Grace fit to play a part?

Ronan and Jack should be OK to come back – we will check on Lee and Gary – both are very close. 

Are there any new injuries or suspensions?

No suspensions, Sean Gannon picked up a knock in Dundalk that we have to check on. Neil has done really well coming back but it may still be a little early for him.