Tickets for the final league game of the season remain on sale

Did you feel Djurgardens was our best away performance of the European campaign this year?

“Yes, definitely. We’ve obviously had other distractions in our other European games and that was shown in setup and selection. On Thursday, I think you could see the players were free and focused and the performance showed that. I thought we were very good on the night and I felt the performance merited getting something from the game.”

Eriksson scored the only goal from a good move from them and were we working our way into the game at that point?

“I thought there were periods in the game when we were very good and the goal we gave away was really poor from our point of view because it’s something we’d spoken about. We knew what they’d try to do to us and knew how’d they try to play so it was a poor goal to concede.”

We enjoyed more possession in the second half and did really well but was Rory’s first-half chance probably our best opportunity in the game?

“I think so. Ronan had a really good header and we had other opportunities but I think the timing of that one was crucial. It was right before half-time and if you score that, both team talks are completely different.”

We obviously want to be back here again next year and come to a great venue like Sweden against the group winners, did it show that we belong at this level in your opinion? 

“I knew we did. I think our home performances have shown that and it was never in doubt for us as a group. Thursday just reaffirms it with that performance. We know we’re good enough and capable of competing at that level. We just have to work extremely hard to make sure we can get there again next year.”

Looking back at the six group games was there just a regret that the team wasn’t more clinical?

“I think if you look back, we had some brilliant opportunities to win games. We obviously didn’t take them and if you don’t take them at this level, unfortunately, you’re going to get beaten. We know when we get back here again when you get big opportunities, big chances, you need to take them.”

UCD will have one eye on the relegation playoff with Waterford but it was a close scoreline between us in Tallaght last time, so they won’t make it easy for us?

“No, they won’t. They’re gearing up to play their most important game of the season so we know they’re going to be fully focused and ready for us. We want to go and beat our points tally of last year as well, so it makes for an interesting game.”

That was a club record of 78 points set last season so the motivation to break that again, does it help write the dressing room team talk?

“The players want to win every game and tomorrow is no different but it gives us a chance to beat our record and we want to try and do that. So that’ll be the focus, to go and get the three points and finish the season strong.”

Which players are unavailable for Sunday?

“We’ve picked up a couple of knocks on Thursday so we will have a few that will be struggling who we’ll need to have a look at.”

It’ll be Andy Lyons’ last game for Rovers if he plays. 9 goals and 9 assists this season was such a great return and will he be hard to replace?

“It’s an incredible return. Andy has been brilliant on and off the pitch. He came into us open and willing to learn and listen and work extremely hard. We wish him nothing but success when he goes to Blackpool. He’s going to be very hard to replace but we’ve done it the last four of five years with key players who we’ve moved on. It won’t be easy because he has been, by some distance, the best wide player in the country. Andy has been fantastic for us and we wish him well.”