Shamrock Rovers focus on European ambitions after title loss – The Irish Times

UEFA Conference League: Shamrock Rovers vs The New Saints, Tallaght Stadium, Thursday, 5.45pm – Live TNT Sports 4 & Premier Sports 2

Stephen Bradley has reiterated that his Shamrock Rovers side were simply not good enough to retain their Premier Division title after the league’s climax last Friday when Shelbourne were crowned champions.

The Rovers manager now wants to use that frustration as motivation to ensure Rovers remain in Europe in the new year as they prepare for Thursday night’s game against Welsh champions The New Saints at Tallaght Stadium.

Rovers have earned €533,000 in prize money by collecting four points so far in the new league phase of the Uefa Conference League, in addition to around €4 million for reaching this phase.

After their first ever win in the group/league stage last month when they beat Larne 4-1 at Windsor Park, Rovers sit 10th in the 36-team table and are comfortably placed in the ninth to 24th groups, which would reach a playoff for the round of 16.

The immediate challenge is a TNS side that has impressed greatly in its two games so far, holding Italian Serie A side Fiorentina goalless for 65 minutes before suffering a 2-0 defeat in the opening game in Florence.

Currently sitting second in the Cymru Premier with two games to play, TNS made their own piece of history by beating Astana of Kazakhstan 2-0 at their temporary base in Shrewsbury in their last game, making it the first win by a Welsh side this time Time recorded for the UEFA competition.

“They have a really clear identity and you can tell they’re really well-coached,” Bradley said of the opponents. “They are a possession-oriented team with a lot of really good, technically skilled players.

“They have clever movements in possession and possession. You also have a lot of experience in the team, [players] who were in the leagues in England and you can see that in their style of play. They have a really good mix. We have no illusions that it will be a difficult game against a good team.”

A win would give the Rovers a lead but would secure them a place in the playoffs, something Bradley had been aiming for from the start.

“We put ourselves in a position to try to do that. Time will tell if we can do it. The aim is to try to win the game and if we can do that, of course we still have games left and we will try to win some of them.

“But if we win [tonight] I can imagine that this gives us a really good chance of playing European football after Christmas.”

Defender Seán Kavanagh and strikers Rory Gaffney and Danny Mandroiu are out through injury, while Seán Hoare will undergo a late fitness check.

Striker Marc McNulty is ineligible to play as he is not registered and midfielder Richie Towell will not be involved.

“We should enjoy this level and not be afraid,” said TNS manager Craig Harrison, the former Middlesbrough and Crystal Palace defender.

“If Rovers win they are close and if we win we are a point or two away. I think eight points will be enough, or seven if you have a good goal difference.”