Latest news with #StephenBradley
Irish Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Cliftonville red card left Shamrock Rovers boss Stephen Bradley baffled
Stephen Bradley says the referee was wrong to send off Cliftonville's Odhran Casey during last Thursday's Europa Conference League clash with St Joseph's. The Belfast side crashed out of the competition 5-4 on aggregate, after they were forced to play for an hour, including extra-time, with just 10 men. Casey appeared to win the ball, but was shown a second yellow for his challenge on Alvaro Rey. Bradley, who was hoping for a cross-border clash for a number of reasons, was in Solitude to watch the game. He said: 'They hit the post in the last minute, the keeper got a hand on it. I was right behind the goal, I was nearly cheering. 'They did so well, 10 men after 60 minutes, it was never a sending off. It was an incredibly poor decision. 'It was one them, the ref blew, made the decision too quickly and couldn't go back on it. We obviously go to Gibraltar on Wednesday. Click this link or scan the QR code to receive the latest League of Ireland news and top stories from the Irish Mirror. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice . 'We want to go deep in Europe again and that starts on Thursday.' Logistically, Belfast would have been a far easier - and cheaper - trip for both the club and supporters. 'We wanted Belfast for that reason,' said Bradley. 'But we've been in Europe for a long time now and we know, look, you just get ready for what's put in front of you. 'I wanted Cliftonville for the connection with the club, the fans, all of that. But we go to Gibraltar on Wednesday and get ready to win the game.' The trip to Gibraltar will throw up a few obstacles, as Dundalk and Shelbourne have discovered in recent seasons. Both sides drew their away legs - Dundalk against Bruno's Magpies in 2023 and Shels against St Joseph's last year - but progressed thanks to home wins. 'It can be tricky,' said Bradley. 'You are on an astro. I went over to watch the first-leg and it was 34 degrees at kick-off time, so it definitely alters the game, there is no doubt about that. 'But whatever it is, whether it's 34, astro pitch, whatever, we'll be ready. We've got enough experience, we've been around Europe a long time, we know what we have to do. 'Players will start to get prepped for that now and we'll be ready to go on Thursday. We want to go deep and that starts on Thursday. 'What's happened in the past with other teams, that's irrelevant to us. 'We are going there to win the game. There's no doubt about it. That will be the aim. 'Can we do it? I'll tell you on Thursday evening, but that's the aim and we won't be thinking about anything other than going to win the game.' Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email .
Irish Independent
4 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
‘We value Victor where we value him' – Stephen Bradley says Rovers ‘down the line' with record deal for in-demand teen Ozhianvuna
He's the teenage prospect who drew even more attention to himself with a stunning finish for his first goal in senior football to help Shamrock Rovers into the last 16 of the FAI Cup. And the future of Hoops star Victor Ozhianvuna is close to being agreed as manager Stephen Bradley says the club are 'down the line' in terms of an agreement with a foreign club – believed to be Arsenal – in a deal which would shatter the League of Ireland record fee of €1.9m set by Mason Melia's sale to Tottenham.
Irish Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
FAI Cup: Shamrock Rovers finally distance Wexford as bench deliver three-goal salvo late on
FAI Cup second round: Shamrock Rovers 4 [Ozhianvuna 8, Burke 76, Gaffney 84, Mandroiu 90] Wexford 0 Sixteen-year-old Victor Ozhianvuna capped his full Shamrock Rovers debut with a sublime first goal for the club as Stephen Bradley's side were made to work hard for their passage into the third round of the FAI Cup at Tallaght Stadium. While Ozhianvuna's early lead brought the promise of a comfortable victory, Rovers didn't put Stephen Elliott's First Division Wexford to the sword until the final 15 minutes with goals from substitutes Graham Burke, Rory Gaffney and Danny Mandroiu. Rovers head coach Bradley spoke of the importance of trying to win the cup for a 26th time this year. And while regaining their league title is Rovers' main ambition, the FAI Cup brings added incentive this season. The winners go into the 2026/27 Europa League first round, with a parachute into the Conference League second round if they are beaten, which carries a guaranteed minimum prize fund of €700,000, more than double what was previously on offer. READ MORE Eight points clear at top of Premier Division, with just one defeat in 14 games, Rovers made seven changes from their most recent competitive outing against Sligo Rovers, including starting debuts for Ozhianvuna and recent signing, striker John McGovern. Ably dealing with a confident start by Wexford, Rovers had to work hard to stamp their authority on the game, their first home tie in the competition in four years. Jack Byrne curled a shot wide before the small home crowd were treated to a terrific goal on eight minutes. Ozhianvuna came in off the left wing to position himself perfectly to meet Darragh Nugent's on-the-money cross to score a with a crisp first-time sidefoot volley. Beaten by winners Drogheda United in the semi-finals last year, Wexford belied their poor recent form of just one win in seven games to trouble Rovers when they got forward, with the pace of ex-Rovers academy and Ireland youth international Ajibola Oluwabiyi a promising outlet. But Rovers were always capable of stretching the visitors' rearguard with McGovern heading wide from Ozhianvuna's cross while Michael Noonan and Byrne worked Paul Martin between the posts before half-time. Rory Gaffney of Shamrock Rovers celebrates his goal with team-mates. Photograph: James Lawlor/Inpho Martin was soon to the rescue again with a couple of fine saves early in the second half to deny 16-year-old Noonan. The threat from Oluwabiyi very much remained as Rovers had a let-off on 54 minutes when the teenage winger cut inside Lee Grace to arc a shot just wide. Frustrated with labouring to put the game to bed, Bradley made no fewer than five substitutions at once on 63 minutes with Dylan Watts, Mandroiu, Burke, Matt Healy and Gaffney sprung from the bench. The latter, latching on to a Nugent cross, brought a brave save from Martin with the goalkeeper colliding with a post. That kept Wexford in the game as Ed McGinty soon had work to do to save from Mike Rowe. Rovers did finally kill off Wexford's challenge on 75 minutes, Mandroiu linking with Nugent on the right to cross for Burke to show his composure from close range. Eight minutes later, Gaffney hooked home from almost on the goal line after Grace had nodded down Watts's corner. Gaffney then set up Mandroiu to sweep home the fourth goal in the 90th minute. Holders Drogheda United had far too much at home to Leinster Senior League side Crumlin United as they eased through with a 5-0 victory. Second-half goals from James McManus and Jake Doyle-Hayes gave Sligo Rovers a 2-0 win at First Division leaders Dundalk. Bohemians were the biggest winners on the night with Collie Whelan scoring four times in a 7-0 rout of Killester-Donnycarney at Dalymount Park. Waterford beat Leinster Senior League champions St Mochtas 5-1 at the RSC while goals from Stephen Walsh and David Hurley saw Galway United past Tolka Rovers at Eamonn Deacy Park. Derry City won 5-1 at First Division Treaty United, with wins also for Finn Harps, Bray Wanderers and Kerry over UCD, Wayside Celtic and Athlone Town respectively. SHAMROCK ROVERS: McGinty; Grace, Lopes, O'Sullivan; J. Honohan (Watts, 63), Nugent, O'Neill (Mandroiu, 63), Ozhianvuna; Byrne (Healy, 63); Noonan (Burke, 63), McGovern (Gaffney, 63). WEXFORD: Martin; McCarthy, Larkin, McCourt, Crawford (Browne, 86); O'Brien (D Levingston, 86); Rowe, Harnett (Haris, 64), McCormack, Oluwabiyi (Flynn, 77); Dobbs (Wasilewski, 77). Referee: Mark Houlihan (Dublin). Attendance: 2,420. Other results: Bray Wanderers 3, Wayside Celtic 0; Drogheda United 5, Crumlin United 0; Dundalk 0, Sligo Rovers 2; Finn Harps 3, UCD 0; Galway United 2, Tolka Rovers 0; Kerry FC 2, Athlone 1 (aet); Killester Donnycarney 0 Bohemians 7; Treaty United 1 Derry City 5; Waterford 5, St Mochta's 1; Shamrock Rovers 4, Wexford 0.
The Irish Sun
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Stephen Bradley believes LOI clubs will ‘go all-in' on the FAI Cup as his side prepare to face Wexford
SHAMROCK Rovers boss Stephen Bradley is sure some clubs will prioritise the FAI Cup over the League of Ireland now with an eye on the additional European prize. This year's FAI Cup winners will go into next year's Europa League rather than the Conference League. 2 The 40-year-old led Rovers to FAI Cup glory in 2019 beating Dundalk in the final 2 The Hoops host Wexford FC in Tallaght in the second round of the FAI Cup on Friday But that place also comes with a 'parachute' into the Conference League if eliminated from the Europa League, which means a guaranteed €700,000 instead of €325,000. And He told SunSport: 'I definitely think it will (make a difference). Not that people took their eye off the ball or discarded the Cup, because it's such an important competition. 'But I think the fact that the rewards are so good in terms of where you end up in Europe. Read more on League of Ireland 'You'll see clubs will prioritise these games in terms of selection, if it comes down to it between a league and Cup game, I think people will go all-in on a Cup game.' Ireland earned that Europa League place for next season largely thanks to But to keep the extra prize of a Europa League spot, Ireland must stay there which means every European victory and draw matters. Bradley added: 'It's up to us, you see Shelbourne last night, hopefully Pat's and ourselves, it's unfortunate for Drogheda ( 'We don't want to go dropping places. We need to keep pushing as the more European spots, the better the prize money and it's something we all have to push for.' The Hoops' own Conference League action does not start until next week as they received a first round bye. Celtic star Daizen Maeda spotted doing press-ups in technical area after being subbed-off against Sporting Lisbon And Bradley will travel to Solitude this evening to watch the Hoops' potential opponents Cliftonville and St Joseph's having also been in Gibraltar last week to see the 2-2 draw. He said: 'It's unusual to get to see both ties but it was very evenly matched over there. We'll go again tonight to watch them and make sure we're prepared.' But before Europe, the Hoops - who lead the league - are in FAI Cup action against Wexford in Tallaght tomorrow evening. Bradley added: 'It's been a strange one as we usually come into the cup game off the back of a big European game. 'You can see what (manager) Stephen Elliott is trying to do. I played with him and against him all the way up and you can see what he is trying to implement. 'They're getting there, they're really dangerous in transition so we've got to respect them. 'We want to go far in the cup this year. It's the first time we're not starting it on the back of Europe which I've no doubt played its part in some results before. 'But Wexford will come with a freedom, and we've got to be ready for it.'
Irish Times
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Shamrock Rovers fight back to earn point in Sligo
Premier Division: Sligo Rovers 2 (Hakiki 9, 24) Shamrock Rovers 1 (Cleary 33, Honohan 63) Shamrock Rovers fought back from 2-0 down to earn a share of the spoils in a thriller with Sligo Rovers at The Showgrounds on Saturday night. A classy brace from Ireland under-21 international Jad Hakiki had Sligo two goals to the good by the 24th minute but goals from Dan Cleary and then Josh Honohan earned Rovers a point in a game where Sligo goalkeeper Sam Sargeant was excellent. League leaders Shamrock Rovers came to the northwest looking to extend their eight-point advantage over second-placed Derry City. Stephen Bradley's side lost 2-1 to Sligo when they met at The Showgrounds at the start of March before they reversed that result with a 2-0 win at Tallaght Stadium at the beginning of May. Sligo, with four new faces in their matchday squad, were looking for a third win in five games since the midseason break. Shamrock Rovers immediately had a stranglehold on possession and Matthew Healy and Graham Burke were close with early efforts. It was Sligo that drew first blood, however. A move sparked by a huge tackle from Patrick McClean, back at Sligo for a second spell, led to a corner that was taken short to Jake Doyle-Hayes. The midfielder's floated cross was headed home at the near post by Hakiki to give Sligo a ninth-minute lead. Sligo almost went 2-0 up when Wilson Waweru, having been given the ball by Ryan O'Kane, saw his effort denied by ex-Sligo goalkeeper Ed McGinty. Sligo Rovers' Jad Hakiki celebrates scoring his second goal with Owen Elding. Photograph: Evan Logan/Inpho It was 2-0 with 24 minutes on the clock when Hakiki netted with a confident and composed finish after running on to Owen Elding's pass. The visitors looked for an immediate response and Burke's goalbound effort was denied by Sargeant's superb save. They halved the deficit in the 33rd minute when Graham Burke's free-kick effort was blocked but they recycled possession and Danny Mandroiu's ball to the back post was headed in by Cleary. Sligo were pegged back for the remainder of the first half, as Mandroiu pulled the strings for the visitors, but it stayed 2-1. The pattern continued in the second half, with Shamrock Rovers again dictating the play. Healy's low shot demanded a careful save from Sargeant, who then twice kept his side in front with outstanding stops from goalbound efforts by Mandroiu and Danny Grant. Sergeant was keeping the visitors at bay – he made another save to stop Rory Gaffney – but they levelled almost immediately following that stop when Honohan got his head to a Dylan Watts ball. Both sides had further sights of goal, the closest was an opportunity for Sligo substitute Francely Lomboto, who guided an attempted lob too high with three minutes of normal time to go. SLIGO ROVERS: Sergeant; Reynolds, Denham, McClean, Fitzgerald; McManus (Quirk, 60), Doyle-Hayes; Elding (Kavanagh, 85), Hakiki, O'Kane (McDonagh, 90+1); Waweru (Lomboto, 60) SHAMROCK ROVERS: McGinty; Grant, Grace, Lopes, Cleary, Honohan (Kovalevskis, 75); Healy, Watts (Byrne 64), Mandroiu (McEneff, 87); Burke (Noonan, 64), Gaffney (McGovern, 75). Referee: Paul McLaughlin. Attendance: 3,359.
