EAMON MCCONIGLEY HAS issued an appeal to Donegal football supporters to lend their voices to Letterkenny Rovers for this evening’s FAI Senior Cup second round replay against Athlone Town (6pm).
Rovers welcome the League of Ireland First Division side to Leckview Park after a scoreless draw at Athlone Town Stadium on Saturday night.
It is the latest in what is now a long line of big games at Leckview this season and comes just ten days after Rovers lost to Crumlin United in the FAI Intermediate Cup final at Aviva Stadium.
“It’s a big day for the club the players and the town and everyone is looking forward to it,” McConigley told Donegal Sport Hub.
“When the crowd gets behind you it helps you. When there is an atmosphere, players play above themselves. We had a fantastic crowd at the Aviva and they got behind us all the way.
[adrotate group=”63″]“I can’t thank the public enough for getting behind us. Hopefully we’ll get a sizable crowd tonight to get behind us. It’ll give them an extra boost.”
Rovers were on a downer from their Intermediate Cup final chastening when they headed for Athlone.
They were without Shane Bradley and Jonathan Minnock for the game. Bradley remains absent with Minnock said to be ’50-50’ for the replay, but Ryan Lonergan – who hobbled out of Saturday’s game with a hamstring injury – is expected to be passed fit.
[adrotate group=”64″]It was a game of few chances in the Midlands and McConigley was delighted to earn another crack at it.
He said: “It was a very good response form the players. I felt that we could get something in Athlone.
“We had been through it before. We conceded in the 94th minute against Ringmahon and we went the following week and got a result up in Portmarnock.”
[adrotate group=”65″]While Rovers’ Cup form at Leckview has been good so far, McConigley insists that his men will have to earn their stripes if they’re to cause a giant killing.
He said: “We’re up against a very fit team and a very strong team. We can’t take anything for granted just because we’re at home.
[adrotate group=”41″]“We have to remember that this is a League of Ireland side we’re playing. We’re going to have to be at our best and we’ll need a performance similar to the one in Athlone if we’re going to get anything.”
Listen to the full interview below …
https://soundcloud.com/donegalsporthub-club-notes/eamon-mcconigley-pre-athlone-replay
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