Thirty minutes into his side’s SSE Airtricity League Premier Division encounter with Drogheda United, Shamrock Rovers Head Coach Stephen Bradley could be heard on the touchline exhorting his charges to greater effort. And how they did respond! It to
Thirty minutes into his side’s SSE Airtricity League Premier Division encounter with Drogheda United, Shamrock Rovers Head Coach Stephen Bradley could be heard on the touchline exhorting his charges to greater effort. And how they did respond! It took until just after half time but once Gary Shaw had given the Hoops the lead, there was only going to be one winner. Rovers picked-up their eighth home win of the season to copperfasten their grip on fourth, just one point shy of Bray Wanderers. Shaw was set-up for that lead goal by his strike partner Michael O’Connor and the duo have combined well in the last two games. “We’re working well together as a two up top. One going short and one going long. We have a nice little partnership there.” Shaw was delighted that Rovers’ game management was good. They pushed on and made the game safe after taking the lead. “That’s what we need. Completely kill the game off. Put teams to bed.” “Discipline is important as well,” says Shaw. And in contrast some matches this season, Rovers were disciplined against Drogheda. Only Simon Madden saw yellow for kicking the ball away to waste time late on. “I want to score every match,” says Shaw. “That’s a given for a striker. Cause havoc for defenders. Be a nuisance really.” Some of Rovers’ fringe players got an opportunity in this game and they grabbed the opportunity in no uncertain manner. Aaron Bolger is just 17 but the claimed an assist for Rovers second goal, scored by Trevor Clarke and then popped-up in the box himself to drive home the fourth in added time after great work by Shaw. Clarke has been attracting cross-channel interest from the likes of Southampton, Barnsley, Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield United but Bradley won’t be letting the wide player go easily. “If one of these clubs wants to put their money on the table in the summer, we'd have to sit down and talk. If a club wants him bad enough, I'm sure it could happen if they offer the right money.”
