‘I thought the ref was awful to be honest’ – Stephen Bradley not happy as another injury hits Shamrock Rovers ahead of Euro tie

Johnny Kenny’s first-half strike proved the difference as the champions returned to winning ways, with Bradley lauding the Ireland U-21 striker for coming back "a different player this year.”

The win saw the Hoops remain in fourth, 13 points off the summit with a game in hand. On a night when leaders Shelbourne and second-placed Derry dropped points on the road, Bradley acknowledged his side have given themselves an “extremely difficult task” if they are to clinch a fifth successive title.

Bradley also confirmed that Graham Burke is ruled out of Tuesday’s huge Champions League first round qualifier away to Vikingur Reykjavik with injury, while Aaron McEneff is now a major doubt after coming off injured last night following a poor tackle by Dundalk's Eoin Kenny – one Bradley felt deserved a straight red card.

The League of Ireland Premier Division as Aidan Fitzmaurice and Seán O'Connor look back on Thursday’s five matches

“The one I’m really annoyed about is Aaron. I think it was an awful tackle. I thought the ref [Marc Lynch] was awful, to be honest,” said Bradley after the Tallaght Stadium victory, their last league action for four weeks with European and FAI Cup ties up next.

“It was an awful tackle and it’s a red card. It doesn't matter where you are on the pitch, it's a red card. He has gone straight for the knee, he [Eoin Kenny] is a young lad, he’s learning, but that's a red card.

“We’ll need to get Aaron scanned, but right now, I’d imagine he’s out [of Tuesday]. We got a corner during the game and it was [given as] a goal-kick, too. I thought the referee was really, really poor. I don’t blame referees for us losing games, but I thought he was really poor.”

With 13 games remaining, the Hoops could cut the gap on Damien Duff’s leaders to 10 points should they win their game in hand.

“We have gone the course for a long time, we know what it takes. Can we do it? I don’t know. I genuinely don't know,” said Bradley.

“I think if we show up like we did in the first hour against Dundalk, we win more than we lose. Let's see where that takes us. We have given ourselves an extremely difficult task but if there is any group of players who can do it - it’s this group. I have no doubt.”

One player in fine form heading into next week’s huge tie in Iceland is striker Johnny Kenny, after the Sligo native hit his 10th league goal of 2024 last night. After finding the net for the eighth time in his last 12 games, the Hoops boss hailed the maturity of the Celtic loanee.

“Johnny scored a good goal but possibly could have had more, which he’s disappointed with,” said Bradley of the 21-year-old.

“I know Johnny feels he should have 16 or 17 goals (this season). We looked at his xG last year and he was miles ahead of everyone in the league, so we knew it was coming.

“It was just a matter of him keeping on working on his game. His all round game has improved so much, but what I love about him is that he’s not afraid to miss. You need to have that bravery and character as a centre forward, that balls to say ‘I missed but we’ll go again’. Johnny has that.

“I think he has shown a maturity. He has come back a different player this year. For a centre forward who scores goals, he’s only young. You look around the league and around Europe, goal scorers are hard to come by and Johnny scores.”

Ahead of next week’s trip to the Icelandic champions, Bradley said that Jack Byrne is ok after picking up a slight knock against the Lilywhites, while Neil Farrugia and Sean Kavanagh will be available for the first-leg tie.

Burke is out for next week with a calf issue with Bradley hoping to have the forward back for the second-leg, but Rory Gaffney faces another few weeks on the sidelines with an Achilles issue.