Stephen Bradley: ‘Everything we do is geared for peaking in the second half of the season’

Andrew Dempsey reports from Tallaght Stadium

Shamrock Rovers boss Stephen Bradley reckons there is more to come from his side after they eased to a 4-0 win over UCD on Friday night.

Harvey O’Brien’s own-goal set the Hoops on their way as Jack Byrne, Graham Burke and teenager Kieran Cruise all netted during an emphatic win.

Crucially, that stretched their lead at the top of the table to six points after Derry City and St Patrick’s Athletic drew and lost respectively.

And the Hoops boss was also able to call upon academy trio Cruise, Conan Noonan and Darragh Nugent after the half-time break – with Cruise netting the fourth and final goal for the league leaders.

That was Cruise’s first senior goal for the club as he finished well after Rory Gaffney’s free-kick was blocked and fell to him behind a number of UCD defenders.

“Kieran has been out ill for the best part of two months,” Bradley explained. “He hasn't been able to train and he had a tough time.

“It was great to get him back training in the last few weeks and get him on the pitch.

“He came on against Dundalk and did well and he's still learning the game but it was nice for him to get the goal. It is a nice reward as he's had a tough time off the pitch.”

League Report: Shamrock Rovers 4 - 0 UCD https://t.co/PRR23avl3opic.twitter.com/ep3jf8E4hs

— Extratime.com (@ExtratimeNews) June 9, 2023

Cruise is the latest in a long line of Rovers academy graduates to play for the first-team at Tallaght Stadium – and he is unlikely to be last to do so this season.

“Our record with young players is really good,” Bradley added. “There's no doubt the young players have to be at a really good level to play.

“That's the standard we set and we keep driving that but when young players are ready they get their opportunity and they play here.

“Conan is a player with real ability, and Kieran. Darragh is one that's different as he's been out on loan and has done his work there.

“It's hard to play here but it should be hard to play here at the best club in the country.”

Rovers’ win on Friday sees them go six points clear at the top of the table, and that is despite their early season wobble that threatened to derail their four-in-a-row charge.

With Derry City, St Patrick’s Athletic and Bohemians unable to keep pace with the Hoops, Bradley and Co are in a very secure place at the top of the pile.

And he believes there is more to come from his all-conquering Hoops.

“I always feel it's about getting this team to the break in a decent position,” he said. “We always felt that and if we are there, in the second half of the season we get strong.

“Everything we do is geared for peaking in the second half of the season and we have done that in the last few seasons.

“Players need time off but they will come back. It's about focusing and going up the levels, I feel we have shown signs of it but we can really go up the levels.”

But with Europe and a possible FAI Cup run to come in the weeks and months ahead, the Hoops gaffer stressed that he has learned from the mistakes made towards the end of last season.

“We know what we are hoping to face this year,” Bradley said. “We have a lot of games in a short period of time and we want that again.

“We will do all we can to make that happen and we are better equipped as a club all round to meet that challenge.

“We know the mistakes we made on and off the field last year – hopefully we are in a better place this year to tackle that.”