Rovers boss Stephen Bradley: The title race isn’t over yet, despite his team holding a solid ten-point lead at the top of the SSE Airtricity Premier Division. Shamrock Rovers extended their advantage with a confident 2-0 win over Derry City, who, along with Drogheda, now sit 11 points behind the league leaders. While many fans and pundits saw this as a pivotal moment in the title chase, Bradley remains cautious.
A Dominant Second Half Performance
Derry had the better of the opening half and came close to scoring when Michael Duffy struck the post. But the momentum swung Rovers’ way after the break. Rory Gaffney struck just two minutes into the second half and added a second in the 65th minute to wrap up the win. After that, Derry never truly threatened a comeback, and the Hoops saw the game out with composure.
Bradley Praises Ruthless Edge
Speaking to RTÉ Sport after the match, Stephen Bradley praised his players’ response in the second half. “It felt like a proper game,” he said. “We started okay, and Derry had their chance, but we completely controlled things after the break. The space was always there; we just didn’t recognise it early enough. Once we did, we were ruthless.”
Focus Shifts to Europe – But Title Still Not Assumed
Despite the cushion at the top, Bradley is not ready to talk about the title just yet. “No, there’s a long way to go,” he said when asked if the win put Derry’s title hopes to bed. “There are a lot of games left. We won’t start making calls on the league now. We’ll just focus on extending our lead.” With European fixtures returning, Bradley highlighted the importance of creating a buffer. “We want to go deep in Europe and play Thursday-Sunday. That takes a toll, so tonight’s win was very important.”
Injury Concern for McEniff Ahead of Kosovo Trip
Rovers now travel to Kosovo for their Europa Conference League third qualifying round against Ballkani. Bradley gave an update on Aaron McEniff, who came off at halftime with a tight hamstring. “He said he felt it just in time before it got serious,” the manager explained. “We’ll assess him, but hopefully it’s nothing major.”
