Jack Byrne insists Shamrock Rovers will keep calm and carry on after claiming ‘it is not squeaky bum time’.
Bidding for a third league title in-a-row, the Hoops have a six-point lead over Derry City with three games to go ahead of tonight’s key derby clash with St Patrick’s Athletic.
But the Candystripes - who host Shelbourne at home tonight - have a game in hand and the two sides still have to meet at Tallaght Stadium on Sunday week.
Since drawing in Drogheda last Sunday, Rovers have been accused of looking tired as they juggle a title push with European group stage football.
But Byrne is adamant the reigning champions have their eye on the prize as they inch towards reclaiming their crown.
The Ireland international said: “I don't think it's squeaky bum time. It's good games and you look all over the league, everyone has stuff to play for.
“These are big games - Derry play Shels, we're playing Pat's, whoever Dundalk are playing, whoever Harps and UCD are playing.
“All over the league, everyone has something to play for and it makes it interesting with full houses for the end of the season and that can only benefit the league.”
And Byrne refuses to accept that Rovers blew it in Drogheda last week after letting a lead slip through their grasp in a hard-fought 1-1 draw.
“We got beat up in Drogheda at the start of the year but we got a point there last week. It's (about) getting points and it's another point closer to where we want to be.
“That's our thinking. On another day we could have won the game, on another day they could have gone 2-1 up at half time.
“But I felt we had 35-40 minutes of the game under control but that's football, you switch off for one minute and they score.
“Al (Mannus) uncharacteristically makes a mistake and we get punished and they could go 2-1 up, it was difficult conditions and we just couldn't get the second goal.
“But no one came in after saying it was a disaster. If we had won 3-1 we would have said we played brilliantly.
“It's about getting over the line and picking up points. Derry are doing the business they need to do and we need to do the business at our end.”
But St Pat’s are out to derail the Hoops title push tonight as they try to wrestle third spot and automatic European qualification from Dundalk.
The fourth-placed Saints have won seven of their last nine league games since exiting Europe and Byrne is relishing the direct battle with fellow playmaker Chris Forrester.
The St Pat’s ace is in good form and Byrne said: “The more players like Chris Forrester in the league, the better.
“He's an unbelievable player and I played against him in England twice, when he was at Peterborough.
“He was really good over there and he's continued that here. I love playing against him, love those battles, they are always good games.”
Byrne and Forrester are cut from the same ‘street footballer' cloth and Byrne said of his fellow playmaker: “Maybe we’re a bit maverick in the way we think.
“Or maybe it's because we’re from around town, I don't know. It's just something that's been instilled in me since I was a kid.
“I kinda play the way the game should be played, create chances and try to get control of the game and he does the same.
“You have to work hard - and Chris does. You don't get to be captain of a club in England if you don't work hard.”
But Byrne wants to silence Forrester tonight and added: “He got the winner in Richmond at the start of the year, but hopefully we get one over on him this time.”
Meanwhile, Stephen Bradley hit back at critics by insisting Shamrock Rovers have the mental strength to get over the line in the title race.
The Hoops have been accused of looking tired in recent games as they juggle their league push with European group stage football.
But Bradley reckons that is coming from people who have never walked in Rovers shoes.
Ahead of tonight’s big clash with St Pat’s, he said: “When you’ve been where we are for the last few years, and where we are now, everyone on the outside just jumps on it.
“They look for reasons and people will have an opinion on what we do and if we don’t win or drop points, they will want to make something of it.
“You have to accept that and understand that’s what comes with where we are but for us, it’s always been nice and calm.
“Come the end of the season you’ll end up where you deserve to end up. We want to go and retain the league but time will tell if we’ve done enough to do that.
“But our motto has always been ‘the next training session, next game and move on’ and that won't change.”
But Derry City - who have a game in hand and who face Rovers in Tallaght on Sunday week - are breathing down their neck.
Rovers - who lost to Molde and drew in Drogheda last week - have a six-point advantage going into tonight’s derby clash with in-form Saints.
Bradley continued: “People will always say, when they look at results, that you’re tired but I think both performances last week showed that we weren’t.
“On Thursday I thought we were very good. Big moments changed the result but I felt we deserved to get at least a point.
“On Sunday we had 10 minutes where we were off it but, other than that, I thought we were very good.
“You’re allowed to drop points, it’s football. People that think you can just go every week and have a divine right or think you can just win every game, that’s nonsense.
“They are people who have never been in the position we’re in and don’t understand it. You’re allowed to drop points, you’re allowed to lose games, that’s football, that’s life.
“We prepare every week to win, they’re the standards we set ourselves. But there are going to be times where it just doesn’t happen for you.
“You don’t get the bounce of the ball, you don’t get a decision, you don’t perform and the other team are just better than you on the day and that happens.
“I’ve always said that win, lose or draw, we understand what happened and we move on. That won’t change, it never has and it never will.”
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