Bradley hails Hoops players as knockouts beckon
Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Bradley said his side fully deserved a draw after securing a famous point away to Rapid Vienna, a result which guarantees their progression to the knockout stage of the Conference League.
After a torrid first half, in which they were fortunate to reach the dressing room only one behind, Rovers equalised almost out of nowhere early in the second half, with Johnny Kenny diverting Josh Honohan's low drilled cross inside the far post.
Emboldened, the Hoops were easily a match for their Austrian hosts from then on, and while there were still some nervy moments, the away side could as easily have nabbed a winner, with Kenny missing a couple of chances late on.
The result means Bradley's side remain unbeaten with eight points from four games - as good a showing as they could have imagined - with matches against Bosnian outfit Borac Banja Luka (at home) and Chelsea (away) to come next month.
We know now that they are destined to become the first League of Ireland side to reach the knockout stage of a European competition, with a spot in the knockout phase play-offs assured.
Asked to account for the transformation after half-time, Bradley said they had spoken about being more positive and penetrative in possession at the break.
"I thought in the first half, we were too negative in and out of possession. We spoke about it at half-time," Bradley told Premier Sports afterwards. "I felt we were better in the second half in every aspect and I feel we fully deserved the draw.
"Our press had to go another 10 yards up the pitch. There were opportunities in the first half to press and we didn't take them.
"And also in possession in transition in the first half, we were too negative. As a result, they pressed us.
"In the second half, our first action in transition was positive and we penetrated. That gave us opportunities to attack."
Stephen Bradley and the Rovers players on the pitch afterwards
The final whistle saw a dispute between the Rovers boss and his opposite number Robert Klauss, the Rapid manager taking grave objection when a second ball was kicked onto the pitch and Bradley made no attempt to stop it.
While Bradley told reporters afterwards that he "wasn't here to stop balls coming onto the pitch", the Rapid manager complained of lack of sportsmanship, viewing it as a time-wasting gambit.
For goalscorer Kenny, it was a third goal of the league phase so far, having scored against both Larne and The New Saints. His latest goal will surely be the most memorable of all, given the calibre of opposition, though Bradley insisted his young striker was frustrated not to have added a second.
"He's disappointed. He should have two or three tonight. The one at the end and the one in the first five minutes.
"He usually scores them. He's a player that has a really high ceiling. He's still developing, he's still learning but he has a bright future."
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