More woe for Bradley after Bray defeat
THE resolve of the Shamrock Rovers board, and support, will be tested after the Hoops slipped to a sixth defeat in 12 games in a season which is proving to be anything but memorable.
The band of Rovers supporters in the paltry attendance of 645 for last night’s league game away to Bray Wanderers stuck around and applauded the Hoops players after a dreadful defeat to bottom side Bray, Ronan Coughlan netting the key goal on 53 minutes.
But three defeats in the last four, and six losses from 12 league matches with this latest failure against a side who had lost their previous nine matches, will place a big question mark over the club and head coach Bradley.
He has repeatedly insisted that Rovers were not expected to challenge for the league this season, and the club have backed the 33-year-old, but losing half of their league games will lead to questions, Rovers second best for long spells last night in a poor game.
Wanderers suffered a blow midway through the first half when one of their most experienced players, lone striker Aaron Greene, pulled up with an injury and was replaced by Daniel Kelly.
Brandon Miele forced a save, the first of the game, from Bray’s Donegal-born keeper Aaron Dillon on the half-hour mark, and just before half time Coustrain did well to force a corner, Ethan Boyle going close with the resulting header.
A 0-0 draw here would have suited the home side, despite their lowly status at the foot of the table but there was more to come from Bray and seven minutes into the second half they were in front, Rónán Coughlan alert as Ronan Finn played a poor back pass to keeper Dillon and Coughlan was there to score his first goal for the club.
Rovers fans hoped for, demanded even, a reaction but it was Bray who remained in control and almost doubled their lead on 60 minutes, Gary McCabe forcing a good save from Horgan with a fierce drive.
The night took another bad turn for Rovers on 63 minutes when in-form striker Dan Carr was sent off for tripping opponent Rhys Gorman, a second bookable offence.
Leadership has been lacking in the Rovers side this season and Bradley’s hope that, after the Bohs defeat, his players would show their true character out in Bray did not come to pass, Horgan called on again to save his side, denying a good effort from Bray sub Daniel Kelly, though Graham Burke was not far off with a shot four minutes from time.
BRAY: Dillon; McKenna, Kenna, Douglas, Lynch; O’Conor, Gorman; Coughlan (Pender, 73), McCabe, Galvin (J Kelly, 88) ; Greene (D Kelly, 26).
ROVERS: Horgan; Boyle, Grace, Gilchrist, S Kavanagh (B Kavanagh, 73); Coustrain (Shaw, 55), Bolger, Finn, Miele; Burke; Carr. REF: T Connolly