Dundalk striker Pat Hoban felt it was "bizarre" that their game against Shamrock Rovers was not moved in light of their involvement in Europa League ties either side of Sunday's 4-0 loss to the SSE Airtricity League leaders.
Dundalk have their sights set on Thursday's Europa League play-off tie against KÍ Klaksvik, knowing victory against the club from the Faroe Islands will guarantee group stage qualification for the second time in their history.
The reigning champions' defeat to Rovers on Sunday night, came just three days after returning from Moldova where they had beaten Sheriff Tiraspol in a penalty shootout in the Europa League third qualifying round.
Speaking to RTÉ Sport at full-time, Dundalk striker Hoban, who was not involved against Rovers as Lilywhites boss Filippo Giovagnoli rung the changes, would have preferred to feature but understood the Italian's decision to rest key players in the circumstances.
"It's kind of disappointing not to be able to play in such a glamour tie like against Rovers in the league but it is what it is," he told Tony O'Donoghue.
"We didn't get home until six o'clock in the morning, no sleep, so it was only right to make that many changes.
"But it just feels like missing out on another league game when there's not that many of them anyway.
"So I find it bizarre that we actually had to play the game to be honest."
Looking ahead to the play-off tie, he continued: "You could say we've bigger things ahead and it's the biggest game of our lives, my life anyway.
"It's something that we have to prepare right for because everyone is saying it's going to be an easier tie than the last one but it's not."
