‘It's ridiculous' – Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Bradley says it's time for FAI to extend length of League of Ireland season
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Daily Mirror
8 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Rory Gaffney fires a brilliant brace as Shamrock Rovers go 10 points clear
Rory Gaffney fired Shamrock Rovers into a whopping 10-point lead at the top as the Hoops shredded Derry City's fading title aspirations. The 35-year-old striker has made a habit over the years of delivering big moments, and didn't disappoint here with two second-half goals to sink the Candystripes. Rovers were not at their best in the first-half, but Gaffney took control by making it double figures for the season with strikes in the 47th and 65th minutes. And in doing so, the Hoops took a giant step towards reclaiming the title with a show of strength against a visiting side that finished with 10-men after Alex Bannon saw red. 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 . Rovers couldn't have asked for a better chain of events over the bank holiday weekend, as they prepare for Thursday's European clash away to Ballkani in Kosovo. Shamrock Rovers Rory Gaffney celebrates scoring the second goal of the game with Lee Grace and Roberto Lopes (Image: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne) Second-placed Bohemians sabotaged their own hopes of forcing a title race by losing at the death to Drogheda United on Friday night. And that teed up this game, with Stephen Bradley and his players knowing full well how significant a win would be against a side that hasn't beaten them now in 10 meetings. 'In the second-half we dominated the game,' said Bradley. 'The spaces were there in the first-half but we just didn't see them clearly, but we did in the second half and we were ruthless. 'Rory deserves incredible credit. Last year he had a torrid time with injuries. Coming to pre-season he said 'let me prove that I'm ready to go again'. 'He came in and trained without getting paid and proved that he was ready to go and when you get Rory like he is now, he's unplayable. 'Derry have three big centre-backs and (Mark) Connolly has been around, but Rory had his way with the three of them and he was different class.' But Bradley refused to accept that Rovers are now home and hosed in the title race with just 10 games to go. 'There's a long way to go and another round of matches. We're not calling that. What we do want to do is extend the lead and that's why tonight is so important,' he said. 'We want to go deep in Europe by playing Thursday-Sunday and that can be difficult, so it was important that we gave ourselves a buffer in the league.' Shamrock Rovers' Dan Cleary and Dipo Akinyemi of Derry City (Image: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne) The Rovers performance in the second-half was night and day compared to the first, where they allowed Derry the space and time to look the more dangerous side. Michael Duffy had a spark about him in those exchanges and the Derry stalwart had the best chance of the half, cracking the woodwork after 12 minutes. Sadou Diallo spotted Duffy's darting run, clipping a ball over the defence. Duffy took a touch and unleashed on the turn, only to hit the post. Duffy chanced his arm again when he jinked inside Pico Lopes and Dan Cleary before driving a ball towards Ed McGinty's goal, only to see it veer off course. At that stage, Derry had plenty about them going forward and caused problems. Their new full-back Brandon Fleming, snapped up from Hull City, was a handful in particular. The crosses he fizzed into the box from the left were usually on the money, but the big difference was that Derry had no Rory Gaffney-type figure to finish them off. Managers Stephen Bradley and Tiernan Lynch before the game at Tallaght Stadium (Image: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne) Rovers closed out the half with another effort, but Brian Maher got behind Danny Mandroiu's free-kick on the edge of the box after Connolly fouled Dylan Watts. But the Hoops made their first chance of the second-half count when Gaffney pounced for the opener, tapping home at close range. Josh Honohan crossed from the left before Adam O'Reilly could shut him down. Jamie Stott was covering the back post, but Gaffney outfoxed him. Connor Malley, snapped up on loan from Sligo Rovers, then crashed a long-range drive off the crossbar on his debut before Honohan flashed a shot across goal. He ought to have scored, having done all the hard work, but that manic, six-minute burst of energy sparked Rovers into life. Not only that, they never looked back as Gaffney doubled his tally and finished the Candystripes off in the 65th minute. Watts sent a ball up the right flank from deep and Gaffney raced onto it. Alex Bannon was covering but Gaffney tied him up in knots before rifling left-footed into the corner. And Bannon's night would go from bad to worse with 11 minutes to go when he was sent off on a second-yellow card to compound Derry's miserable night. SHAMROCK ROVERS: McGinty 7; Cleary 7 (O'Sullivan 86, 5), Lopes 7, Grace 7; Grant 7 (McGovern 74, 6), Watts 7, Healy 7, Honohan 7; McEneff 6 (Malley 45, 6), Mandroiu 7 (McGovern 74, 6); Gaffney 8 (Noonan 69, 6). DERRY CITY: Maher 6; Bannon 5, Connolly 5, Stott 6; O'Reilly 6, Diallo 6 (R Boyce 85, 5), Winchester 6, Duffy 6 (Doherty 85, 5), Fleming 6; L Boyce 6 (Whyte 63, 6), Akinyemi 6 (Mullen 63, 6). Referee: P McLaughlin MOTM: Rory Gaffney (Shamrock Rovers) Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts.
Irish Times
8 hours ago
- Irish Times
Rory Gaffney scores twice to send Shamrock Rovers 10 points clear at top of table
Premier Division: Shamrock Rovers 2 (Gaffney 47, 65) Derry City 0 A brace of goals, the second a terrific strike, from in-form Rory Gaffney heaped frustration on Derry City at Tallaght Stadium as Shamrock Rovers edged closer to a fifth title in six years. With 10 games now remaining, Stephen Bradley's side are 10 points clear of second-placed Bohemians and 11 ahead of Derry, who have now not beaten Rovers in 10 games stretching back to March 2023. A record extending 22nd League of Ireland championship is now all but Rovers' to lose. The big result was just the tonic Rovers would have wanted as they now travel to Kosovo to meet FC Ballkani in the first leg of their Conference League third round tie this week. Rovers head coach Bradley rotated his squad once again with five changes from the 0-0 draw with St Joseph's last Thursday. READ MORE And they enjoyed promising early possession here, troubling the Derry defence twice in quick succession nine minutes in. First Gaffney did well to set up ex-Derry midfielder Aaron McEneff who should have done better than shoot over the top. Seconds later, skipper Roberto Lopes's route-one ball over the top dropped for Gaffney who spun visiting captain Mark Connolly, cut across Alex Bannon to rifle narrowly wide. Having survived, Derry, who gave a debut to new signing Jamie Stott in defence, responded to cut Rovers open a trifle too easily on 12 minutes. Sadou Diallo's delightful chip in behind found the clever run of Michael Duffy whose shot beat Ed McGinty with Rovers relieved to see the ball come back off a post. Duffy then skilfully ghosted between Rovers' experienced defenders Lopes and Dan Clary on 28 minutes to shoot wide across goal. And there was another scare for Rovers five minutes before the interval. Duffy again was involved, feeding impressive wingback Brandon Fleming who nipped past Lopes to get his shot away which required a frantic clearance a yard from goal by Lee Grace. Rory Gaffney scores the second goal of the game. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/INPHO Second best in the first half, Rovers came out with added impetus for the restart and were ahead inside two minutes. Danny Mandroiu flicked on Grace's ball down the left for Josh Honohan who skipped away to cross and give Gaffney a simple tap-in. In their groove now, Rovers were close to doubling their lead in the following minutes. Having come in for his debut at half-time, new loan signing Connor Malley shaved the crossbar. Then Honohan really should have scored but contrived to shoot wide dead in front of goal from Mandroiu's cross. Gaffney would make no such mistake on 65 minutes. Powering away down the right on to Dylan Watts' ball, the veteran front-runner cut inside Bannon before driving a shot past Brian Maher to the far corner of the net. It marked the 35-year-old Tuam striker's fifth goal in his last six games; his eighth league goal of the campaign and 10th in total for the season. Derry's bad night in Dublin 24 was compounded on 80 minutes when defender Bannon was dismissed for a foul on Honohan, his second yellow card. St Patrick's Athletic had the ideal fillip ahead of their Conference League meeting with Turkish side Besiktas with a 2-0 away to Waterford to leapfrog them back up to sixth place. Kian Leavy threaded a perfectly weighted through pass for the run of 17-year-old Tottenham-bound Mason Melia who slipped the ball confidently past Stephen McMullan for an 18th minute lead. Substitute Conor Carty sealed the points on 84 minutes when shooting home Brandon Kavanagh's corner. On Saturday, champions Shelbourne warmed up for their Europa League trip to Croatia with a 2-0 win at in-form Sligo Rovers to move to within four points of Bohemians, whom they meet at Tolka Park next Saturday. A fine solo goal from Ali Coote put Joey O'Brien's side into a 47th minute lead. Sean Boyd, who hadn't scored in the league since hitting a brace on the opening night of the campaign, was sprung from the bench to add the second goal on 77 minutes. Sligo finished the game with 10 men after goalkeeper Sam Sargeant was sent off for handling the ball outside his box. Shamrock Rovers: McGinty; Cleary (O'Sullivan, 86), Lopes, Grace; Grant (McGovern, 74), McEneff (Malley, h-t), Watts, Healy, Honohan; Mandroiu (Matthews, 74); Gaffney (Noonan, 69) Derry City: Maher; Bannon, Connolly, Stott; O'Reilly, Winchester, Diallo (R. Boyce, 85), Fleming; L. Boyce (Whyte, 63), Duffy (Doherty, 85); Akinyemi (Mullen, 63) Referee: Paul McLaughlin (Dublin) Attendance: 4,577
The Irish Sun
8 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Rory Gaffney hits double as Shamrock Rovers move 10 points clear with 10 to go in League of Ireland title race
The veteran striker bagged both goals in dominant win over 10-man Derry as Hoops close in on fifth title in six years TEN STARS Rory Gaffney hits double as Shamrock Rovers move 10 points clear with 10 to go in League of Ireland title race RORY GAFFNEY'S 10th goal of the season against 10-man Derry City moved Shamrock Rovers 10 points clear with 10 games to go. And the Candystripes have now gone 10 matches without a win against the Hoops. Advertisement 2 Rory Gaffney landed his tenth goal of the season for Shamrock Rovers in the win over Derry City 2 Rovers' win gives them a ten-point lead in the Premier Division as Derry City are winless in ten Rovers were on the back foot for most of the first half but were a different animal after the break as they put Derry City to the sword. Gaffney, 35, was taken off midway through the second half and replaced by 17-year-old Michael Noonan but he had already done more than enough. If his first goal was a tap-in, from Josh Honohan's cross, his second was anything but. Played in down the right by Dylan Watts, he cut inside Alex Bannon before unleashing a thunderous left-foot drive into the far corner. Advertisement The Tuam native only re-signed for the Hoops a week into the league season after proving his fitness after an ankle injury which had sidelined him last year. But how glad Rovers are to have him as he has now netted four times in his last five games and is their top scorer with 10 goals in all competitions. With Bohemians and Derry City both taking just one point from their last two outings, the Hoops have stretched their lead to double digits. And, even if they find themselves in a prolonged European campaign, it is hard to envisage the kind of drop-off in domestic form which would be required for anyone to catch them and prevent Stephen Bradley's side from winning a fifth league title in six years. Advertisement After they sleepwalked their way through a 0-0 draw against St Joseph's on Thursday - having earned the right to do so after a 4-0 win in Gibraltar - this represented a serious step-up in intensity. Lee Grace, Daniel Cleary, Dylan Watts, Matt Healy and Danny Mandroiu were restored to the starting XI. Son Heung-breaks down in tears as Tottenham legend is given emotional farewell in final match They started well and had a couple of half-chances with Aaron McEneff unable to keep his effort on target after being teed up by Gaffney. Gaffney was then played through by Roberto Lopes and sped past Mark Connolly. Alex Bannon came across to cover but the former Limerick striker got past him too only to fire wide. Advertisement But, thereafter, the only chance they had before the break was from a free-kick when Connolly fouled Watts but Mandroiu's strike was straight at Brian Maher. Derry were more threatening, particularly down the left where their recent recruit from Hull City, Brandon Fleming, was a danger, along with Michael Duffy. Duffy went closest to breaking the deadlock when he ran in behind to latch onto Sadou Diallo's pass. His shot beat Ed McGinty but struck the far post with Roberto Lopes mopping up before any Derry player could pounce on the rebound. Advertisement Later he fired wide of goal after he had found a gap between Lopes and Dan Cleary on the right. Alex Bannon had a header from a corner saved with Fleming twice off target, the second after he had nutmegged Danny Grant. Bradley made a switch at half-time with Connor Malley - signed on loan from Sligo Rovers - coming on for his debut in place of Aaron McEneff. And, although he had no role in it, Rovers went ahead almost straight from the restart with Josh Honohan getting the better of Adam O'Reilly on the left before crossing in to Gaffney who escaped the attentions of Jamie Stott for an easy tap-in. Advertisement It marked the start of complete dominance for the home side who could quite easily have scored twice more in the following four minutes. First, Malley struck the woodwork with an effort from outside the box and then Honohan dragged a shot wide of the far upright after he had been set up by Mandroiu. Derry offered little in return and Gaffney got the second goal in the 65th minute. And, any hope of a comeback from the visitors was ended in the 79th minute when Bannon was sent off after two bookable offences, for fouls on Mandroiu and Honohan. Advertisement SHAMROCK ROVERS 2-0 DERRY CITY SUN STAR MAN: Rory Gaffney (Shamrock Rovers) SHAMROCK ROVERS: McGinty 7; Cleary 6 (O'Sullivan 86, 3), Lopes 6, Grace 7; Grant 6 (McGovern 74, 5), Healy 7, McEneff 6 (Malley 46, 7), Honohan 7; Watts 7, Mandroiu 7 (Matthews 74, 5); Gaffney 8 (Noonan 69,5 ). DERRY CITY: Maher 6; Bannon 4, Connolly 5, Stott 6; O'Reilly 6, Stott 6, Diallo 6 (R Boyce 85, 3), Fleming 7; L Boyce 6 (Mullen 64, )5, Akinyemi 5 (Whyte 64, 5), Duffy 7 (Doherty 85, 3). REFEREE: P McLaughlin (Monaghan) 6
