ON THE NIGHT Shamrock Rovers clinched an historic fourth League of Ireland title in a row, manager Stephen Bradley immediately turned his attention to making it five straight titles next season.
Bradley’s team wrapped up the Premier Division title with a 2-0 win at St Patrick’s Athletic, as late goals from Aaron Greene and Graham Burke saw the club emulate the great Rovers side of the 1980s that dominated the League of Ireland.
“There’s immense joy, these players have been incredible for a long period of time,” said Bradley.
“It’s hard to win one title; to win one, two, three, four, when you’re the team constantly up there to be shot at, it’s hard. The players and staff have been incredible, there’s immense pride in what we’ve done.
“We fully understand what that (1980s) team did and the regard they are held in to this day, we wanted to be part of that. That was the plan and we’ve done that. When the dust settles we’ll plan for the next one.
“We had people coming at us from all angles. If any team was going to catch us it would be this year considering the start we had. The players showed incredible strength and character.
“Off the pitch, it was difficult, people were coming at you from within and outside which is not nice. There was pressure with four in a row, the players are only human, they’ve to cross the white line and they’ve done it.
“It was the plan when we came in. We got a lot of stick early on, we’ve built the group over time, bought and sold players. It’s a team effort.
“I want to go for five, it’s down to the board now. The board have to make it happen. I just want to see us strive to get better every year. That’s my job to drive the club on and off the pitch. The day I stop that I may as well retire.”
“It was a great night,” added Rory Gaffney.
“Coming here we wanted to get the three points, we wanted to win it tonight, you look at the lads coming off the bench, Aaron Greene and Graham Burke, get two goals. That shows the strength we’ve got in our squad and it’s the reason we’re champions again.
From when you come to the club, you always hear about the four in a row. We’ve equalled it now and the challenge for this group of players is to go to five in a row.
“It was a funny start to the season, we weren’t playing badly. The performances were there but the results weren’t. There were a couple of red cards and late goals. We just kept doing what we’ve been doing, working hard and playing the way the manager wanted us
“The hunger is there for the lads to go out and train hard every week and make sure your name is in the starting XI every week and leagues take care of themselves.”
