BOHEMIANS HAVE BROKEN their media silence to respond to a row with Shamrock Rovers and Stephen Bradley.

After the Hoops got a 2-1 victory in Monday’s match, Bradley said: “We’re playing to win a league. They’re not.”

The Rovers boss added on a post-match fracas: “What I’m told is one of the players threw a dig at young Michael [Noonan] from behind. I think that’s what started it. The ref has just informed me a few players have been sent off from both teams after the game,” Bradley said.

“We’re playing to win a league. They’re not. We need players. We need people ready for the next three games. We don’t need to get dragged into that. There’s a lot of talking that went on there. Silly stuff. It seems to be that there’s a pattern.

“There seems to be a pattern. Every time there seems to be a row on the pitch, it’s the same people involved in it. When it’s different clubs, even. Shels, Pat’s, it’s the same people involved in it. It needs to be looked at; it’s the same tonight.”

Reynolds hit back in a statement issued by Bohemians on Thursday morning. He accused Rovers players of trying to provoke opposition fans after the game.

“There were 10,000 people in the stadium, and instead of celebrating with the 8,000 or 9,000 supporting Rovers, there was a deliberate attempt by their players to incite the 1,000 or so in the Bohs section. It’s a lack of basic respect; it’s designed to provoke, and it’s an attitude that comes from the top,” he said.

The Bohs boss also explained the reasons behind his falling out with Bradley.

“We’re not the first team that has had that lack of respect from Stephen Bradley or his players. I’ve been involved in this league for a long time, and Stephen always appeared to get on well with me, but something seems to have changed this year, maybe because he finally saw Bohs as a threat.”

Reynolds also took issue with Rovers staff not shaking his hand after a game between the sides earlier this season.

“On Monday, I shook hands with Stephen and told him that it’s nice of him to shake our hands and show a bit of respect, and then Glenn Cronin gets himself involved,” said Reynolds. 

“Yet all you hear from Stephen after the game is a personal attack on my staff. In football, any manager will have disagreements with the opposition all the time. That’s fine; it’s part of the game, and then you park it there. You keep it between you, whether you win or lose. I always have in the past, but I won’t stand for my staff or our fans being insulted in interviews by him or anyone.

“It’s not the first time we’ve seen Stephen Bradley decide to run his mouth off and insult the opposition to distract from the carry-on of his own club.”

Reynolds also defended the club’s decision to issue a media blackout after Rovers’ match with Drogheda last week was moved forward by 24 hours for TV purposes, with Bohs arguing it gave their rivals an unfair advantage of extra rest ahead of Monday’s fixture.

“For all the resources Stephen Bradley has at his disposal, he doesn’t need the league to be giving them another leg-up.

“Ultimately, a game was brought forward by the league that gave Shamrock Rovers an extra 24 hours’ rest before a massive game against us. It’s not right. It’s not right for Bohs, it’s not right for St Pat’s, and it’s not right for anyone who believes in a level playing field.

“When both clubs have a two-day rest in between match days and the league turns around and decides to give one of them an extra 24 hours, that’s just not on. We’re not talking about one club having five days and the other having six days or whatever. The smaller the gap is, the bigger the advantage an extra day gives.”

Reynolds also claimed Rovers previously had games rescheduled to their advantage and highlighted the controversy of the waterlogged pitch that caused their match with Dundalk to be postponed earlier this season, suggesting the incident was not “adequately investigated” by the league’s hierarchy.