• Mc Carry: “biggest game” as Over 30s gaffer
• League Cup quarter-final pairs Rocks & Greeks at Met Oval
• 1960 and Legends in St Michaels double header

The Rocks are ready for a big Cup weekend!

League leading Shamrocks face into what Paddy Mc Carry has described as the most important game of his long and successful stint managing the Over 30s – Sunday’s Marth Cup quarter-final against rivals Dinamo (Randalls Island 74 – 4pm).

The Over 30s team that beat Brooklyn Gunners last Sunday: back row left to right: Club President and Assistant Coach Sean Mc Mullan, Paddy Geraghty, Johnny McGeeney, Dominick McCartan, Billy Hole, Alex Berne, Marcus Nascimento. Front row, left to right, Tayfun Gokmen, Nei de Oliveira, Pablo Graham, Andy Horan, Matteo Stiglich. Picture courtesy Keith Buckley

Mc Carry has never brought a team this far in the State Cup and has his eyes firmly set on a league and cup double. Standing in his way is a talented Dinamo outfit still smarting from a thrilling 4-3 loss to the Rocks almost three weeks ago.

The Shamrocks have not had it easy thus far, overcoming Long Island champions Polet and also the team closest to them in the league race, second-placed CPR Grays.

“Sunday’s game is the biggest game I have been involved in as manager of the Over 30s,” said Mc Carry.

“We have won Division 2 and also two divisional titles on the way to two Division 1 league titles but we have never been this far in the State Cup. I believe this is the best chance we have of winning the cup. We have a great squad and I am only missing one starter for Sunday.

“We have a couple of knocks but we hope those players will be ready come Sunday. I believe we can win it and so do the players but we must get past our big rivals Dinamo first. I have no doubt they want to win this as much as we do so it won’t be easy but my boys are ready.”

Meanwhile, the first team has a chance to make amends for last Sunday’s bruising league defeat way to the Greek Americans when they return to the Met Oval for Sunday night’s CSL League Cup quarter-final (8pm).

The Greeks were a formidable opposition last Sunday – coach Kevin Grogan describing them as the most impressive team he has faced all season – but the opportunity to advance to the semi-final will give his players plenty motivation.

“It’s another big challenge for us against a quality Greek side,” noted Grogan.

“Obviously the league is our priority but the cup is a very nice distraction for us this weekend and it gives us a chance to get everyone minutes leading into our big league game (home to Pancyprians) the week afterwards.”

Nick Zorbo will return from a one-game suspension (two yellows), offering a big boost to Grogan’s plans.

Meanwhile, there are two league games at St Michaels on Sunday for Shamrocks Legends and Shamrocks 1960.

Rocks 1960 can take a step closer to locking up the number one seed going into the Metro 2 play-offs when they take on Metro City Fury at 3pm.

With no other Metro East team in action this weekend, a win would put the Rocks ten points clear facing into their final four games of the season. Second placed Gotham City will have two games in hand and the top two will face off at the end of April in what should be a divisional decider.

“We had a big win against Metro City in November,” said assistant coach Neil Mannion. “But that counts for nothing this weekend. We need to convert our chances and be ready for the big games that lie ahead. The aim is securing the top seed and this is one more game on the way to that.”

The curtain raiser will see the Legends take on second-placed CPR Legends at 1pm. CPR have not won a league game since November and having been losing ground on undefeated leaders Cosmoz.

“They’re a good team and they’ll be keen to steady the ship,” said coach Emmett Harvey. “We’re looking forward to this one though. We have a few injuries but that’s to be expected. The squad is big enough to cope with that.”