Gazza hails heroes as Hoops host Drogs

SHAMROCK Rovers resume the defence of their Airtricity League title tomorrow against Drogheda United at Tallaght Stadium (2pm) with words of praise from Paul Gascoigne ringing in their ears, after Michael O’Neill reunited with his old Newcastle teammate at White Hart Lane on Thursday night.

“He was very complimentary about our performance against Spurs,” says the Hoops boss. “It’s been a few years since I’d last seen him and it was nice to see him looking fit and well. You can see he is still revered at White Hart Lane. He was impressed at how we approached the game. He was very complimentary and felt we had Spurs rattled for a bit.”

But it’s straight back to the bread and butter for Rovers now.

“The demand on the players is unrealistic,” says O’ Neill. “We have four games in 11 days, Drogheda, Bohs, and Derry coming to Tallaght, and the away game at Bray. Then we have another Europa League game at the end of that before we come back and play the final two games on a Monday and Friday, as opposed to most of the teams who will play Friday-Friday. Hopefully, the next four games will go well for us and we’ll have it in our own hands going into the last two games.”

Meanwhile, although they will be without the injured Jason McGuinness and Eoin Doyle and the suspended Richie Ryan, Sligo Rovers will today be expected to boost their title chances when they host bottom club Galway United at the Showgrounds (7.45) while, in the First Division, Longford Town welcome Waterford United to Flancare Park (7.30).