Page 4 - COBH WANDERERS V SLIGO ROVERS FAI CUP 3RD ROUND 2015

A few words from Wanderers Manager Eric McCarthy
Good evening and welcome to St Colman’s Park for our third round
Irish Daily Mail FAI Senior Cup match against Sligo Rovers. We wel-
come Micky Adams, Alan Rodgers, their players, backroom team,
the officials and supporters of Sligo Rovers FC who have made the
long trip to Cobh for tonight’s game.

Being involved in the later stages of the FAI Senior Cup is a huge
bonus to our club and presents an opportunity to put our club well
and truely on the football map. It is a great testament to the com-
mittee, volunters and players for the hard work that they have put
in over the past 12 months that we are involved in such an occasion. The players should
take credit and be proud of the fact that along with Cork City we are the only two re-
maining teams from Munster left in the competition.
Last season was a huge success for the team capturing a league and cup double in
the Munster Senior League and the players are anxious to kick on again this season. I
am delighted to have strengthened the squad with the additions of Mick Devine, Alan
O’Flynn, Emmet O’Hanlon and James Stoat. Tonight’s game will be the start of a very
long season for our squad but i can assure you that the management team and the
players will be working tiredlessly to ensure the coming season is a success.

The timing of tonight’s game is not ideal in that it is our first competive match since
early June. Nonetheless, the focus that i will be placing on the players will be to play the
match and not the occasion. Tonight will be a very enjoyable occasion for the support-
ers, the families of the players and the people who have worked so hard behind the
scenes but what we have to do is to maximise the occasion and that means being as
competitve as we can be on the pitch. Maximising the occasion can give our club the
further injection it needs to progress to the next level both on and off the pitch.
A professional outfit like Sligo Rovers will undoubtely pose us problems and will come
into tonight’s game as clear favourites. Having said that this is the cup and as the say-
ing goes anything can happen. Furthermore i feel our players have enough experience
and quality to make tonight’s game an interesting spectacle.

We really need the support of the crowd this evening in helping the players. For those
who are old enough or should i say young enough who could forget the classic matches
of 1983 when Cobh last played Sligo Rovers and the atmosphere that it generated.

Be patient with the players this evening and get behind them. Remember they are local
players representing the local community and will give everything for the cause.
Finally i would like to thank Cobh Ramblers FC for the use of their facility this evening
and for their support and guidance in the lead up to tonight’s game. Your support has
been immense and can i take this opportunity to wish you every success for the remain-
der of your season. Together we can bring Cobh Football back to the glory days.

Thanks for your support and enjoy the game

Eric McCarthy