Stephen Bradley: 'Any team we put out, we believe is good enough to go to any ground in the country and win the game'

Macdara Ferris reports from Head in the Game Park

It was very much a case of job well done for Stephen Bradley on Sunday as his Shamrock Rovers team returned from the win in Albania and moved three points clear at the top of the table with a win away to Drogheda United. 

The 1-0 victory came three days after the second leg of their 3-0 aggregate win in Europe over Teuta – similar to their 1-0 win over Longford Town three days after the first leg of the Teuta tie.

Having juggled European and league action in the last few weeks, the Hoops can now fully concentrate on their Europa Conference League play-off tie with Flora Tallinn.

The Hoops travel to Estonia on Wednesday for the first leg the following night and will have no game domestic game ahead of the second leg in Tallaght after their league clash with Bohemians was postponed.

“Our aim was to play these two games (against Longford Town and Drogheda United) and hopefully get the six points,” said Bradley after the match. “These are difficult games especially after the shift you put in midweek in really hot conditions.

"I thought the players were fantastic with their attitude and how they managed the game in the first hour - we were very good. We got a bit leggy but that is to be expected after the (European) game and the travel we have had.

“We have a free weekend now between Flora Tallinn matches. A game in between I felt would have been too much. Considering there is so much at stake, I thought the free week would be beneficial for us and hopefully it turns out that way.”

With so many matches being played, Bradley acknowledged that “there is very little training going on in the last four weeks but you have to plan for that eight weeks ago and understand that this period is coming.”

He is hoping they he can continue to call upon a full squad – only Neil Farrugia is currently out – avoiding injuries and any COVID-19 issues.

“The COVID one is the big worry to be honest with all the travel. We get tested regularly and thankfully we have been okay. Freshness is more important than fitness at the minute.”

With freshness in mind, the Hoops Head Coach made six changes for the game in Drogheda but insisted it didn’t weaken his team.

Rory Gaffney got both goal for Rovers in Europe during the week and he was named on the bench in Drogheda. Aaron Greene came in and he was on the end of a 17 pass move to get the winner nine minutes into the second half. 

“We don't think that there is a first XI in the squad. We believe every player is ready to play and any team we put out we believe is good enough to go to any ground in the country and win the game. We really believe that. I think we've got great options all over the pitch. We made six changes today but it didn't hurt us in any way.”

The win was Rovers’ eighth in a row in all competitions and their fourth consecutive clean sheet. “We know we can put runs together. We had that long unbeaten run (of 33 games which ended in May).

"You can see we are getting fitter and stronger as the season goes on. The more games we play, the better we are. We don't come down from our European level which is really good to see.

“The clean sheets are great to get in Europe because they are difficult games. it has been really good to get back to clean sheets as we build everything off that.”

Shamrock Rovers now top the table by three points from St. Patrick’s Athletic and have a game in hand over the Saints with Sligo Rovers in third a dozen points behind the Hoops.

League Report: @DroghedaUnited 0 - 1 @ShamrockRovershttps://t.co/zTLRc5MIPOpic.twitter.com/WX2CBhs84B

— Extratime.com (@ExtratimeNews) August 15, 2021