DANNY’S ON THE DOUBLE
Rovers put Harps away to close gap
HOURS after speculation linking Stephen Bradley with Lincoln City was put to bed, Shamrock Rovers had the points tagged in Tallaght Stadium before the kettle was plugged in for the halftime cuppa.
A three-goal flurry inside 11 minutes, two from Danny Mandroiu, floored Harps and kept Bradley on track to deliver the ‘unfinished business’ with Rovers after a personally emotional and professionally hectic week for the Dubliner.
‘It was a strange week,’ said the Rovers boss.
‘With the passing of my grandmother, it obviously hit my family hard but yeah I was very busy, (I had) a big decision to make. It’s over and we can move on.’
Bradley agonised over the Lincoln offer and revealed a chat with club captain Ronan Finn played its part in him staying in Tallaght.
‘It was a difficult decision because they (Lincoln) are a really good club with really good people. They have a really good plan, a club going in the right direction.
‘But so are we, and I felt we’ve started to build something here and we feel we owe it to those around us, players and staff, to finish what we started.’
Bradley confirmed the move would have included Glenn Cronin and Stephen McPhail as a unit.
‘It was going to be the three of us that they wanted to speak to. But we sat down and had a good conversation, the three of us and people around us, and decided that is the place for us right now.
‘We get that feeling that there is more to come from this group, more to come from us, and hopefully we can prove that this year.
‘I will look to challenge myself at some point again, at a different level, different stage, different country. That’s only natural. But I love this club. We have unfinished business and it feels right to stay,’ he said.
In front of 4,687 fans, including former Rover Gavin Bazunu, the champions had enough power and flair to win with plenty in hand and keep up their pursuit of Derry City, who visit next Friday.
By kick-off, Bradley was very much in work mode. He observed the pre-match drills under Cronin, before having a quiet word with Seán Gannon.
Whatever was said, worked a treat as Gannon had a direct role in all three first-half goals. In the 17th minute, he initiated the counter-attack which led to a Jack Byrne corner, from which
Pico Lopes smashed home the opener after dithering by Mark McGinley in the Harps goal.
Three minutes later, Gannon crossed for Mandroiu to chest in his first of the night. His second followed soon after when the striker headed home a pin-point Byrne cross after Gannon kickstarted the move.
The Hoops nodded off briefly when Conor Tourish headed a goal back in the 41st minute but it was good as it got for Harps.
With Sligo to come on Monday, Bradley rang the changes from a high-calibre bench and Rovers peppered the Harps goal, but McGinley stood firm. Either Richie Towell or impressive substitute Aidomo Emkahu might have bagged the match-ball but for the keeper’s heroics. There was lots of last-ditch defending too as Harps hung on in and Rovers sent out a flare of intent. SHAMROCK ROVERS: Mannus; Gannon, Lopes, Grace (Hoare h/t); Lyons (Cotter 60), Towell, McCann, Byrne (Burke h/t), Kavanagh; Mandroiu (Greene 60), Gaffney (Emakhu h/t). Scorers: Lopes 17, Mandriou 20, 28. FINN HARPS: McGinley; Alkan, Tourish, Slevin, Donelon; Rainey, Devers, Boyle, McNamee (Rudden 72); Mihaljevic (McDermott 89), Mahdy (Logue 82). Scorer: Tourish 41. Referee: T Owen (Wales)