Santa Clara v Shamrock Rovers LIVE blog of the ECL 3rd round qualifier 1st leg
Their two meetings over the next seven days with Santa Clara, who finished fifth in the Portuguese League last season, will determine if they are successful in their attempt.
The Hoops left Dublin Airport on Wednesday morning, buoyed by the news that their manager Stephen Bradley's son Josh had rung the bell in Crumlin Hospital just the day before to signify that he had been give the all-clear after three years of treatment for cancer.
Rovers, who came back from 1-0 down from their away leg defeat at Ballkani to demolish the Albanian side 4-0 in Tallaght last week, can't afford as careless an opening leg performance this time with a €3.7m group stage prize on the line.
Santa Clara are a strong outfit with 17 Brazilians in their squad and that will focus the minds of Bradley and his players as they prepare for a contest in warm conditions of around 21-22 degrees for the 7pm local time kick-off (8pm Irish time, streamed live on LOI TV).
Rovers will also have to deal with a bigger pitch than usual, but in typical fashion Bradley sought to make that a positive on the eve of the game.
'You could be coming here and saying we're playing on a really, really small terrible astro and that's a different ball game altogether," he said. "We usually like big pitches because it gives you space to play.
'We've played many, many games away from home in Europe and the players are well used to different types of scenarios, so it's not an issue.
'I think you can see how comfortable the players are in these situations and different arenas now. I've always enjoyed the night before this – to give the players a little feel when they're on the pitch and just getting used to the surroundings.'
19:22 Michael Scully
The Hoops keep faith with Rory Gaffney leading the line after his two-goal salvo last week in Tallaght. There was speculation that Graham Burke would start but the veteran and his teenage colleague Michael Noonan are kept in reserve.
Aaron McEneff, who has recovered from injury, is also named on the bench for the visitors. Connor Malley, as expected, misses out due to an injury he suffered a week ago, while Jack Byrne didn't travel as he remains in Stephen Bradley's bad books.
19:18 Michael Scully
Your Hoops XI to line out to take on Santa Clara this evening#RoversInEurope || @sharp_security pic.twitter.com/92WdQMBukK — Shamrock Rovers FC (@ShamrockRovers) August 21, 2025
19:16 Michael Scully
Everyone involved in Irish football was moved by the video showing Josh Bradley ringing the bell in the Crumlin Hospital ward on Tuesday evening and his dad, Stephen, spoke to Mark in Dublin Airport the following morning ahead of Rovers' 2,300km trip to the Azores.
Here's the article.
'The best news' - Stephen Bradley reacts to son Josh's all-clear after three-year battle with leukaemia
19:11 Michael Scully
Mark McCadden is in the Azores for us and in the piece below he spells out in this piece how much money is on the line for the Hoops in this two-legged encounter.
"This time around, UEFA have earmarked just over €300million in prize money for the Conference League," wrote Mark. "And once again Rovers can add to their bank balance if they qualify for the league phase by picking up wins and draws".
What's at stake as Shamrock Rovers bid for another UEFA prize money bonanza
19:05 Michael Scully
The Hoops arrived close to an hour ago and their preparations are underway
We've arrived#RoversInEurope pic.twitter.com/nhjobcT5Ky — Shamrock Rovers FC (@ShamrockRovers) August 21, 2025
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RTÉ News
18 minutes ago
- RTÉ News
Russell Henley surges clear at Tour Championship with Rory McIlroy in the chasing pack
Russell Henley shot 61 to move into a two-stroke lead after the first round of the Tour Championship, finishing with three straight birdies to move to nine under par. It leaves him two clear of defending champion Scottie Scheffler, the world number one finishing on his own in second place at the East Lake Golf Club. Rory McIlroy was the best of the Irish on four under par, with Shane Lowry finishing on even par. McIlroy made it to the turn on three under, after a spectacular 30-foot putt for eagle at seven. The back nine was more mixed as the county Down man mixed three birdies with two bogeys. For Lowry, it was a more consistent day, with two birdies and two bogeys to finish on level par. The course was set up to be more challenging with pins tucked in corners of the greens but it mattered little. In total, 22 of the 30 players were under par, six players were even and just two players were over par. The combined score of the field was 82 under par. Perhaps it was the heavy rain that pummelled the Atlanta area Tuesday and Wednesday that helped the golfers, with Round 1 played under preferred lies rules due to evening downpours. This allowed balls on the fairways or other closely mown areas to be lifted, cleaned and placed in a preferred spot. The Tour Championship winner will also be crowned FedEx champion and will pocket the $10m on offer, which equates to roughly €8.6m.
RTÉ News
35 minutes ago
- RTÉ News
Shels boss Joey O'Brien: 'It's still all to play for'
Shelbourne boss Joey O'Brien likes to describe European ties as "four halves of football". With two halves to go in the Conference League play-off against Linfield, his team are looking good thanks to a rip-roaring 3-1 win at Tolka Park on Thursday night. However O'Brien is taking nothing for granted ahead of next week's trip to Windsor Park. "We have an advantage going up there like the last time, but it's still all to play for," he said. "Yous are probably bored listening to it, we're going up there to attack the game, to go and win the game. That's what it's all about. It's the same mentality that we had when we went over to play Rijeka and Qarabag. We're going to win. "So that's going to be the same thing. We'll be going up there next week to win the game. It's a small advantage we have going up there next week. It's going to be a hell of a challenge. It's one we're looking forward to." It's a familiar path for Shels, who beat Linfield over two legs in the first round of the Champions League qualifiers. After both sides slid down to the third-tier Conference League in UEFA's snakes-and-ladders qualification process, we arrived at this rematch. Goals from Harry Wood, Mipo Odubeko and Evan Caffrey have the Reds in the driving seat, but Linfield played for over 70 minutes with ten men due to Matthew Fitzpatrick's controversial red card. Indeed they would have levelled things on the night had Kieran Offord converted a penalty to make it 2-2. Wessel Speel saved it, and Cafrey nabbed that all-important third goal to delight a partisan Tolka crowd. "At 2-0, we were sort of in control but probably the lads felt they were safe," admitted O'Brien. "I think sometimes on the football pitch, when you think you're safe, that's when you're unsafe really, you just come off it a little bit. We were made to pay obviously, 2-1. "And then they get the penalty. It's a massive moment by Wes to keep it 2-1. We made a couple of subs, we got back into it and it sort of settled us down. We had control of the game and it was great to get the third goal. "I think we said it loads of times. European football, for me, since I was playing years ago, it was always just four halves of football. That was the message at half-time, one half done. Go on and win the next half. Now it's two halves done with still loads to play for." Shels do have the luxury of a free weekend coming up. Last Sunday they looked leggy in defeat to St Pat's in the FAI Cup. With no league game until Sunday week, when Galway United come to Drumcondra, O'Brien has the chance to freshen up some bodies. "It's great not having a game on the weekend to be honest," he said. "We have some sore bodies because with the European Games and the league and the cup, the way it's been, it's been relentless, really. It gives us a couple of days now to sort of get back on the training pitch. "We haven't had much training over the last few weeks, really. It's just been a sort of rest, recovery, play. It gives us a nice build into that to actually get some good work on the training pitch. The lads are really pushing each other to try and get into the starting team." This could be the start of a truly memorable week for Irish football. Shamrock Rovers' brilliant 2-1 victory away to Santa Clara heightened the chances that two League of Ireland clubs will be playing in the league stage of the Conference League over the autumn/winter. It's a tantalising prospect, with O'Brien adding: "It would be brilliant. I'm sure Stephen (Bradley) will say the exact same thing, that there's still loads of football to be played. Only two halves done, two halves to go.
Irish Independent
an hour ago
- Irish Independent
‘The best week of my life in terms of Josh and then tonight' – Emotional Stephen Bradley reflects on historic victory
Stephen Bradley says that an away day win in the Azores for his Shamrock Rovers side capped the 'best week of his life' after his son Josh received the all-clear from cancer. The Rovers boss stressed that his players still have work to do in Tallaght next Thursday if they are to become the first Irish team to qualify for European league phase football without availing of the champions route - but Bradley said that the trauma that he has experienced off the park across the last three years has taught him to enjoy the good days.
