A FRUSTRATED STEPHEN Bradley praised Shamrock Rovers’ performance despite the disappointing outcome on Tuesday night.
After losing the first leg 2-0 in Yerevan, a commanding first-half display saw the Hoops level the tie on aggregate, as they seemed set up for another stirring Champions League comeback reminiscent of the last round against Floriana.
But Rovers were made to pay for a series of missed chances, as Sandro Lima’s second-half sucker punch restored Ararat-Armenia’s advantage.
For Bradley, the sloppy concession of that goal was the one major negative of a largely excellent display.
“I have to say I thought we were brilliant,” the Shamrock Rovers boss told reporters afterwards. “For me, one of our best European performances we’ve provided in any season. Apart from 15 minutes at the start of the second half, we were really good.
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“I just looked at it there; we created 16 really good chances. If you do that in any game, you should score more than two. We haven’t. But the learning is that we can’t give up the first goal last week. We can’t give up the goal we gave up tonight. So soft, and it’s very unlike us. But it’s cost us.”
— Shamrock Rovers FC (@ShamrockRovers) July 28, 2026
The stats back up Bradley’s suggestion that the hosts were unlucky. Rovers had 17 attempts, nine of which were on target. By contrast, the visitors’ only shot on target was the 75th-minute goal.
“We had them,” the manager added. “They were gone. You could feel it. The energy. They were out on their feet. You could see the panic on the bench. What the changes they were trying to make, trying to adjust. The changes they made actually suited us, and we just gave up a really soft goal. You look at the chances we had – Pico Lopes’s free header, Adam Brennan’s header, Dylan Watts front post. We have a lot of chances to put the game to bed, and then we give up a soft goal. And the frustration is they weren’t in the game whatsoever. They were done.
“Sometimes, at the pitch level, you feel the energy, and you see it, and then you listen to the bench and the instructions they were trying to give. They were done, but we’ve given the game up here.”
While Rovers will review the game and their mistakes, Bradley insisted they would not dwell on the defeat as they prepare for Friday’s Premier Division clash away to Drogheda, before next week’s Europa League third qualifying round first-leg clash with Albanian side Egnatia.
“I loved what we brought,” he added. “I don’t know about you, but I haven’t seen many teams performing like that in Europe – genuinely haven’t. I thought that performance tonight was better than last week [against Floriana]. I thought it was really high-level stuff. The goals go in, it’s a different outlook, and obviously a different outcome. I really liked it.”
Ahead of kick-off, the Hoops’ Deadline Day signing of Will Fitzgerald from Sligo Rovers was confirmed.
The 27-year-old was presented to the crowd at Tallaght ahead of Tuesday’s game.
“It looked until probably the last minute that we weren’t going to get him,” Bradley said. “There was a lot of change in it this morning, and Ronan [Finn], to be fair, worked extremely hard and got it over the line. We’ve tried to sign Will a number of times, to be honest, throughout the years, and we’re laughing before the game; eventually we get him, and I think we’re getting him at the right time. Actually, his age profile and with Sligo, the last few seasons, he’s turned into a real leader.
“He’s obviously been the captain, but he’s played four or five different positions when they’ve been down the bottom of the table and really fighting for their lives. And he’s one of the ones that have, himself and Owen Elding, different types obviously, but he’s really dragged them through those times, and I thought he’s really stood up.
“And I like how he attacks the game. He’s definitely going to suit this team.”
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'They were gone... You could see the panic on the bench'
A FRUSTRATED STEPHEN Bradley praised Shamrock Rovers’ performance despite the disappointing outcome on Tuesday night.
After losing the first leg 2-0 in Yerevan, a commanding first-half display saw the Hoops level the tie on aggregate, as they seemed set up for another stirring Champions League comeback reminiscent of the last round against Floriana.
But Rovers were made to pay for a series of missed chances, as Sandro Lima’s second-half sucker punch restored Ararat-Armenia’s advantage.
For Bradley, the sloppy concession of that goal was the one major negative of a largely excellent display.
“I have to say I thought we were brilliant,” the Shamrock Rovers boss told reporters afterwards. “For me, one of our best European performances we’ve provided in any season. Apart from 15 minutes at the start of the second half, we were really good.
“I just looked at it there; we created 16 really good chances. If you do that in any game, you should score more than two. We haven’t. But the learning is that we can’t give up the first goal last week. We can’t give up the goal we gave up tonight. So soft, and it’s very unlike us. But it’s cost us.”
The stats back up Bradley’s suggestion that the hosts were unlucky. Rovers had 17 attempts, nine of which were on target. By contrast, the visitors’ only shot on target was the 75th-minute goal.
“We had them,” the manager added. “They were gone. You could feel it. The energy. They were out on their feet. You could see the panic on the bench. What the changes they were trying to make, trying to adjust. The changes they made actually suited us, and we just gave up a really soft goal. You look at the chances we had – Pico Lopes’s free header, Adam Brennan’s header, Dylan Watts front post. We have a lot of chances to put the game to bed, and then we give up a soft goal. And the frustration is they weren’t in the game whatsoever. They were done.
“Sometimes, at the pitch level, you feel the energy, and you see it, and then you listen to the bench and the instructions they were trying to give. They were done, but we’ve given the game up here.”
While Rovers will review the game and their mistakes, Bradley insisted they would not dwell on the defeat as they prepare for Friday’s Premier Division clash away to Drogheda, before next week’s Europa League third qualifying round first-leg clash with Albanian side Egnatia.
“I loved what we brought,” he added. “I don’t know about you, but I haven’t seen many teams performing like that in Europe – genuinely haven’t. I thought that performance tonight was better than last week [against Floriana]. I thought it was really high-level stuff. The goals go in, it’s a different outlook, and obviously a different outcome. I really liked it.”
Ahead of kick-off, the Hoops’ Deadline Day signing of Will Fitzgerald from Sligo Rovers was confirmed.
The 27-year-old was presented to the crowd at Tallaght ahead of Tuesday’s game.
“It looked until probably the last minute that we weren’t going to get him,” Bradley said. “There was a lot of change in it this morning, and Ronan [Finn], to be fair, worked extremely hard and got it over the line. We’ve tried to sign Will a number of times, to be honest, throughout the years, and we’re laughing before the game; eventually we get him, and I think we’re getting him at the right time. Actually, his age profile and with Sligo, the last few seasons, he’s turned into a real leader.
“He’s obviously been the captain, but he’s played four or five different positions when they’ve been down the bottom of the table and really fighting for their lives. And he’s one of the ones that have, himself and Owen Elding, different types obviously, but he’s really dragged them through those times, and I thought he’s really stood up.
“And I like how he attacks the game. He’s definitely going to suit this team.”
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