SHAMROCK ROVERS boss Stephen Bradley has confirmed Jack Byrne and Rory Gaffney are set to remain at the club for next season.
The experienced pair have over 250 appearances for the Hoops between them, though there were doubts about their future ahead of the 2026 campaign.
Byrne spent part of the 2025 season on loan to UAE Third Division League side Dubai Irish following a disagreement between himself and Bradley earlier this year.
But the 29-year-old is set to stay at the club after a meeting with the head coach.
“We had lunch, me and Jack, last week,” Bradley said. “I brought him his league medal. We had a good chat and a good discussion. I would expect Jack to be back with us in January.”
Gaffney, meanwhile, had to take a pay cut ahead of the 2025 season following injury issues the year before, and the striker suggested he would “think about” his future after a match-winning brace in the FAI Cup final against Cork City.
But the 36-year-old Galwegian now looks set to join Byrne in committing to the club for 2026.
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“Our full plans are for Rory to be here,” the head coach said. “We are really, really far down the road in terms of negotiations. There were more talks this morning. We are just there for Rory. I’d imagine that will get done in the next day or two.
“It’s really important he’s here, not just for his performances but everything. There’s a reason he’s playing at 36 — because of how he lives his life. Michael [Noonan], John [McGovern], young Ben [Mahon] in U20s. It’s important that those young strikers look at Rory and understand what it takes to have a long career. That will only help their development.”
On Gaffney, the manager also praised the veteran forward’s performance on Thursday night.
“We’ve seen it on so many occasions this year with Rory in terms of his level of performance. It’s like he is playing with a freedom that he didn’t have last year, but this year, the injuries have cleared up, and he’s just enjoying his football.
“He’s 36 years of age and causing them all sorts of problems. He was a real handful in every way.”
Meanwhile, Bradley felt his side deserved a point amid a 2-1 Uefa Conference League loss to Shakhtar Donetsk, which leaves the team on the brink of exiting Europe and needing to win their final two games to have any hope of advancing to the knockout stages.
The Rovers boss was also left unimpressed with the officials on a frustrating night.
The hosts saw two penalty appeals turned down — the first for a handball in the box and the second after Danny Grant appeared to be impeded by goalkeeper Kiril Fesyun as he bore down on goal. For Bradley, the latter decision in particular felt galling.
“I can’t believe he hasn’t looked at the VAR. We saw the penalty that was given against us in Athens. It took the ref five minutes to look at that. I can’t believe he hasn’t looked at it. It’s an awful decision from the referee. And the linesman on our side was awful all night.
“I can take the handball. They are debatable. We don’t know what a handball is anymore in the box. But for me, if the goalkeeper doesn’t come out with excessive force as he does, Danny scores. Danny has to jump [or else] stand there and let the goalkeeper really hurt him. If Danny plants his leg, he’s in real trouble.
“Athens, I don’t think there’s anyone who would disagree with us and our view on that — it was never a penalty. Tonight, I’m sure some people will say it wasn’t, and some will say it was, and that’s fine. But the referee hasn’t looked at it — that’s the frustrating bit.
“For what reason? I don’t know. He couldn’t give me a reason after the game as to why he hadn’t looked at it.
“We might still have lost the game, but when you have Athens and that, there’s inconsistency with the referees.”
Rovers travel away to Iceland’s Breiðablik in two weeks before finishing their league phase campaign with a home match against Maltese outfit Hamrun Spartans.
The Hoops manager confirmed the team would have no friendly matches in the interim period.
“Just [games] between us. The offers we’ve had for games have been poor. We’ve had one or two good ones, but different styles from what we’re going to face, so it doesn’t make sense.”
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Stephen Bradley confirms key Shamrock Rovers pair set to stay on next season
SHAMROCK ROVERS boss Stephen Bradley has confirmed Jack Byrne and Rory Gaffney are set to remain at the club for next season.
The experienced pair have over 250 appearances for the Hoops between them, though there were doubts about their future ahead of the 2026 campaign.
Byrne spent part of the 2025 season on loan to UAE Third Division League side Dubai Irish following a disagreement between himself and Bradley earlier this year.
But the 29-year-old is set to stay at the club after a meeting with the head coach.
“We had lunch, me and Jack, last week,” Bradley said. “I brought him his league medal. We had a good chat and a good discussion. I would expect Jack to be back with us in January.”
Gaffney, meanwhile, had to take a pay cut ahead of the 2025 season following injury issues the year before, and the striker suggested he would “think about” his future after a match-winning brace in the FAI Cup final against Cork City.
But the 36-year-old Galwegian now looks set to join Byrne in committing to the club for 2026.
“Our full plans are for Rory to be here,” the head coach said. “We are really, really far down the road in terms of negotiations. There were more talks this morning. We are just there for Rory. I’d imagine that will get done in the next day or two.
“It’s really important he’s here, not just for his performances but everything. There’s a reason he’s playing at 36 — because of how he lives his life. Michael [Noonan], John [McGovern], young Ben [Mahon] in U20s. It’s important that those young strikers look at Rory and understand what it takes to have a long career. That will only help their development.”
On Gaffney, the manager also praised the veteran forward’s performance on Thursday night.
“We’ve seen it on so many occasions this year with Rory in terms of his level of performance. It’s like he is playing with a freedom that he didn’t have last year, but this year, the injuries have cleared up, and he’s just enjoying his football.
“He’s 36 years of age and causing them all sorts of problems. He was a real handful in every way.”
Meanwhile, Bradley felt his side deserved a point amid a 2-1 Uefa Conference League loss to Shakhtar Donetsk, which leaves the team on the brink of exiting Europe and needing to win their final two games to have any hope of advancing to the knockout stages.
The Rovers boss was also left unimpressed with the officials on a frustrating night.
The hosts saw two penalty appeals turned down — the first for a handball in the box and the second after Danny Grant appeared to be impeded by goalkeeper Kiril Fesyun as he bore down on goal. For Bradley, the latter decision in particular felt galling.
“I can’t believe he hasn’t looked at the VAR. We saw the penalty that was given against us in Athens. It took the ref five minutes to look at that. I can’t believe he hasn’t looked at it. It’s an awful decision from the referee. And the linesman on our side was awful all night.
“I can take the handball. They are debatable. We don’t know what a handball is anymore in the box. But for me, if the goalkeeper doesn’t come out with excessive force as he does, Danny scores. Danny has to jump [or else] stand there and let the goalkeeper really hurt him. If Danny plants his leg, he’s in real trouble.
“Athens, I don’t think there’s anyone who would disagree with us and our view on that — it was never a penalty. Tonight, I’m sure some people will say it wasn’t, and some will say it was, and that’s fine. But the referee hasn’t looked at it — that’s the frustrating bit.
“For what reason? I don’t know. He couldn’t give me a reason after the game as to why he hadn’t looked at it.
“We might still have lost the game, but when you have Athens and that, there’s inconsistency with the referees.”
Rovers travel away to Iceland’s Breiðablik in two weeks before finishing their league phase campaign with a home match against Maltese outfit Hamrun Spartans.
The Hoops manager confirmed the team would have no friendly matches in the interim period.
“Just [games] between us. The offers we’ve had for games have been poor. We’ve had one or two good ones, but different styles from what we’re going to face, so it doesn’t make sense.”
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Jack Byrne longevity Rory Gaffney Soccer Stephen Bradley Shakhtar Donetsk Shamrock Rovers