Shamrock Rovers ace Lee Grace admits Easter Monday derby brings extra complication from usual Bohemians battles
The Hoops host their big rivals this afternoon at Tallaght Stadium in the middle derby of three in eight days.
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Grace got on the scoresheet as they visited Richmond Park on Monday
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Ross Tierney got the only goal when the two rivals met in the season-opener at the Aviva Stadium
Rovers
Those meetings with the Saints and Shels are likely to have more bearing on the title race than the Bohs game.
But Grace knows that does not mean today is diminished.
Indeed, he knows that this one is bigger for the faithful than any other.
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He said: 'You see it all over social media with the fans. It's probably the biggest rivalry in the country. So it's maybe a slight difference.
'But for us players, I know it's a cliche, we prepare for every game the same as, doesn't matter if it's Bohs, Shels, or if we're playing Cork or Galway. We prepare for every game the same.
'You cannot not see it if you're on social media so maybe there is a slight difference. It's definitely hyped up and the fans love it.
"Whatever about bragging rights for us players, fans love to have the bragging rights in this derby.
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'Hopefully we can give them the bragging rights on Monday.'
What also is different about this derby is the kick-off time, with the game on at 2pm following
French match between fierce rivals St-Etienne and Lyon SUSPENDED after official hit on head by object thrown from crowd
For Grace, that means a much earlier start than normal.
He said: 'You have to get up early, have your breakfast really early and have your pre-match a bit earlier as well.
'Most players tend to eat about 3½ or four hours before a game so that's ten o'clock. That will nearly need to be my second meal.
'I'll be up by eight o'clock to get some porridge into me just so I've a bit of grub in the stomach before the match comes around.
'I hate the pre-match meal on match days to be honest. I find it hard to eat.
'It's just shovelling it down your throat just so you have some fuel in the body to get through the match.
'It's usually just bog-standard chicken and rice, or chicken and pasta.
'It's all part and parcel of it and you just have to prepare right.
"We are so used to playing at quarter to eight or eight o'clock. It is a bit of a change.
'It's part and parcel of it, so we'll be ready for it.'
'HIT OUR STRIDE'
Grace knows Bohemians —
But form guides are never a good predictor of the derby.
After all, Bohs won on the opening day at the Aviva Stadium and have lost six of their nine games since.
Meanwhile, the Hoops have lost just one further game and are one point off top.
Grace added: 'Look, for some reason the last few seasons, we always start slow.
'I think this year is our best start in the last three years.
'We're on a bit of a run now with a few clean sheets in there as well. We're starting to hit our stride.
'The squad looks in a good place. There are a few niggles but everyone will be back in the next few weeks.
'We're just looking forward to every game as they come.'
DESMOND DOCUMENT
The fact that it is so hectic means that the players have paid little attention to the news that broke last week of boardroom bickering at the club.
Minority shareholder Dermot Desmond
But Grace admitted it is not even discussed in the dressing room.
He said: 'You see it on social media and I don't read too much into it.
'We've enough to be worrying about and dealing with on the pitch. I just leave that to the hierarchy.
'There is no distraction. We've enough to be dealing with on the training pitch and preparing for matches and in this busy schedule of Monday and Friday, you can barely think of anything else.
'We'll forget about all that stuff and concentrate on the main stuff which is the matches.'
Kicking off earlier also means the Hoops can go top of the table for a few hours at least for the first time since winning the title in 2023 — with leaders Drogheda facing St Pat's at 5pm.
Grace added: 'It's been a while since we've been up there. Too long.
'Our game is that bit earlier so if we do the business and get the three points then we'll go top and put the pressure on the chasers.
'But there is a long way to go, Drogheda are flying, people keep saying how long are they going to stay up there but they're not going away so it will be a tough game for Pat's up there.
'The league is wide open at the moment. After the second round of fixtures you can start looking at it then. It has to really settle.'
GIDDY AFTER GOAL
But Rovers are looking good with Grace, who has two goals in his last two starts, also chipping in.
He was delighted with his header against the Saints on Friday having been badgering team-mates to give him opportunities like that all season.
Grace explained: 'When we get corners or wide free-kicks and the defenders clear it back out to where it came from, I always say to try to deliver it again as quickly as possible because they're trying to get out and we're going back in, it's hard to defend those ones.
'I love those ones. They are easy to attack and thankfully I was on the end of it. It was a great ball from Jack Byrne.
'I'm always harping on to the lads because we don't do it enough, it breaks back out and we might try and make a few passes.
'But I'm always on to them to put it back into the box while we're still up. Anything can happen.'
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