Stephen Bradley hails his Shamrock Rovers stars as they make history in Europe

Shamrock Rovers are history makers - and progress to the knockout rounds of European competition looks all but certain after Thursday night’s 2-1 Tallaght Stadium win over The New Saints.

The Hoops are now on seven points from three games - a tally no other Irish club has reached in European action. This was the target set by manager Stephen Bradley at the outset of the league phase. But he doesn’t want to stop there.

Goals from Johnny Kenny - with his 17th in all competitions this season - and Dylan Watts helped Rovers fight back after going a goal down to the Welsh side.

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Jordan Williams’ 15th minute strike, against the run of play, silenced the majority of the 6,108 in attendance.

However, Rovers didn’t panic and were ahead by half-time.

They had chances to add to their tally, but settled for the two, becoming the first Irish team to record two wins in a European group or league phase campaign.

Rovers dominated the midfield battle with Aaron McEneff and goalscorer Watts - who notched his fifth in his last seven games - in outstanding form.

Only a poor finish denied former Leicester City prospect Watts a spectacular solo strike in the second-half.

Speaking afterwards, a delighted Bradley said he was thrilled with his players’ response, less than a week after they were denied the Premier Division title by a late Shelbourne goal in Derry.

“I’m happy with the response (to the TNS opener),” he said. "I’m also happy with the response to Friday.

“It’s alright for me and the staff to move on because we are assessing it as we are going and understanding, but for the players they are in it and obviously it was a big disappointment for them on Friday.

“For them to move on so quickly and come and perform like they did was brilliant.

“You knew early on that they were on it, you knew they were there and then when they scored - we know they are very dangerous off crosses, I think they scored 16 goals off crosses this year - we knew that’s where their strengths were.

“Unfortunately I think the ball takes a deflection off Dan and he goes and finishes, but you could see again they were really calm.

“There was no panic and they just got back and took control of the game again.

“The players give everything to every moment on the pitch, so that takes a lot out of you mentally and physically. So that was the part tonight where you are a little bit worried.

“You are not worried if they’ll show up, these players always show up. It’s just are they in tune mentally and physically?

“I thought they were brilliant in that regard, I thought they showed real character, real leadership and experience that we gained throughout the years. That came to the fore tonight.”

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As they did in Larne, Rovers blasted out of the traps and Kenny fired off the first shot of the night within 15 seconds of kick-off.

There was great energy to the hosts’ performance, but that was temporarily sapped from them when Williams got on the end of a Ryan Brobbel cross and beat Leon Pohls from close range.

The warning signs were there, with TNS using the full width of the Tallaght pitch to get a foothold in the game - but Rovers were quick to wrestle back control and were level in the 23rd minute.

Kenny's strike was the result of some great build-up play, and his finish was the mark of a striker full of confidence.

The officials seemed slow to award the goal, despite the ball going in off the underside of the crossbar, bouncing off the rigging at the back of the net, and back up again to the underside of the bar, but it was given.

It was superb play by Dylan Watts and Neil Farrugia, who slipped the striker in, that teed up the goal.

Rovers’ second, in the 38th minute came from the second of two dangerous in-swinging crosses from Darragh Burns inside a minute.

Unlike the first, which was just missed by Dan Cleary at the back post, this one was met by the outstretched boot of Watts as he slid in after a lung-busting run into the six-yard box.

Rovers had chances for a third, but Bradley’s players can head off for a mini-break - with three weeks until their November 28 trip to Rapid Vienna - with huge smiles on their faces.

“The players will have time off now,” said Bradley. “How it looks like it’s going to work out is we are going to get a really, really short off-season, so we have to give them time within the games where possible.

“This time now, we have three weeks, so I think it’s time for them to switch off mentally and physically, and not see me or the staff or hear us for quite some time. I’m sure they are sick of that.

“Just go and be with their family and friends or whatever they want to do and enjoy themselves. Then we come back and it’s back into focus mode, get two good games against HJK (on November 21 and 22) and then build up to the next European game.

“Like I said, hopefully we are gearing up for European football again after Christmas.”

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