The Bit O’Red are in sensational form of late, scoring goals for fun as they climb up the Premier Division table. Tonight they host Shamrock Rovers in the semi finals of the EA SPORTS Cup, as they look to end the season by bringing silverware back to The Showgrounds.

Cook believes that his players are finally getting the rewards their performances have deserved all season. While results at the start of the campaign went against the Bit O’Red, Cook maintains that he always had faith in the players’ abilities.

“At the start of the season I felt we were getting a lot of unfair criticism on the basis that we weren’t getting results,” he said. “I think that if you go to a game and see a team play well then you should say that. You shouldn’t be purely focused on results because at the end of the day if your performances are good the results will follow.

“Supporters sometimes get carried away with results early on in the season. People talk about managers being under pressure and teams not doing well and it amazes me at times because there is only one league table that matters and that is the one at the end of the season.

“Earlier on in the season we couldn’t score enough goals. I remember a game down in Galway where we drew 0-0 and, with all respect to Galway, we dominated possession for long periods. At times like that what you need to do is show faith in your players. If you play well you stay in the team. I don’t believe in making wholesale changes.”

Cook believes the squad is the strongest it has been since he has been at The Showgrounds. The manager is looking for a big crowd at tonight’s match as the players look to book their place in the EA SPORTS Cup final.

“We’ve got some real strength in depth, it’s a big testament to where the club is and where we are trying to get to that the standard of player at the club has improved,” he said. “We’re fortunate in that we can now get an injury or a suspension and still put out an equally strong a side.

“Everybody wants to be involved in big games and Tuesday night is a big game. I hope people will come out and support us. We are in the semi final of the EA SPORTS Cup, as well as having an FAI Ford Cup match coming up and ten more league matches too, and it would be great if people really got behind the club so as at the end of the season we can all say that we all did our bit.

“It’s a great time for the club. People need to remember the hard work it’s taken to get here. We’ve had a lot of hard training sessions, and a lot of tough dressing rooms where we’ve lost games we should have won. I keep reminding the players not to forget the bad times. They are the times that drive you on.”