While accepting that the trip to Bulgaria to take on Ludogorets in their Champions League second round qualifier is a step up, Shamrock Rovers captain Ronan Finn has highlighted a mindset within the squad that is determined to ensure that the tie is still alive for the return leg in Tallaght.
The SSE Airtricity Premier Division champions take on the 11-times Bulgarian champions in the Stadium Ludogorets Arena, in Razgrad, on Tuesday, kick-off 6.45pm.
Finn has a wealth of experience in European competition. He played for Sporting Fingal against Portuguese side Maritimo in the Europa League in 2010. Subsequent appearances in the group stages of the same competition followed during his first stint with Shamrock Rovers in 2011, and then with Dundalk in 2016.
Having played at that level, the experienced midfielder believes Stephen Bradley's side have the wherewithal to be at least competitive in Europe, starting with their visit to Bulgaria.
"That part of it annoys me a bit – the moral victories", said Finn, when speaking to the press in advance of the qualifier.
"I've experienced enough of it where you do well, put on a good performance but fall. It’s something we’re trying to change. The manager is building a group to be more than that, to succeed in the challenge. I feel we’re coming to a stage where we’ve the squad to compete at the highest level, to play in the top games. Tomorrow will be a challenge.
"Over the years, I’ve played in the games that we’ve got turned over. We need to get away from that as a league. We’re doing that in this club. We’ve set our stall out by setting targets within the group and tomorrow is part of it."
"We have a game plan, we back ourselves as players, we have a template we play off. The level of
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