Promotion chasers Bann must do better says Soper

That’s the message from their Head Coach Daniel Soper, who is determined to stamp out all too frequent slip-ups

Bann host Naas at Rifle Park on Saturday (kick-off 2pm) hoping to bounce back from their defeat to Skerries.

“That was disappointing,” said Soper.

“We didn’t play as we wanted to and it was a game we should have won.

“We get these blips and wake-up calls far too often and we need to sort out why that is the case.

“We can talk all we want about finishing in the top two but we have to deliver on the pitch and do it consistently.

“The two we’ve lost have been in the last few minutes so there is frustration there that we’re not five from five with a bit of a gap on the rest.”

Bann are still in second spot in Division 2A but Soper knows their upcoming games against Naas, UCC, Cashel and Queen’s will tell a story.

“These next four are our most difficult of the season,” he said. “It will be a big challenge.”

Bann have been dealt a blow ahead of their upcoming tough run.

That’s the injury to star man Andy Morrison, who is likely to miss the rest of the season with a cruciate ligament injury.

“He’s been the stand-out player for us over the last couple of years. He’s pulled uis out of a few holes with a big run or a big tackle

“He will be a miss for us but then it creates an opportunity for somebody else to take his place.”

That’s the negative side of Bann’s changing injury issues but on the flip side, the locals will welcome back Nico Vorster and Adam Ervine

“Nico is back in the squad again after a knee injury he picked up back in February,” said Soper.

“He’s had a couple of games for the Twos and is back in the squad, as is Adam Ervine, who comes back to captain the side.”

The duo will be much-welcome ahead of this weekend’s game against a Naas side who also have won three games from their first five in the All Ireland League.

Soper said: “It will be a tough game and it’s a really important one.

“If we win, wewould go about five points ahead of them and all of a sudden you have a bit of daylight there.

“They are a very good side. We have had a lot of tough battles against them and we expect the same this time.

“It’s such a tight league. There isn’t a lot between the teams at the top and the teams at the bottom.

“Moments of indifference are costing us.”