Rovers eye Europa riches after tempestuous end to Champions League participation

No rest for Shamrock Rovers. Not if Stephen Bradley wants to drive a creaking, yet overall solid squad into winter football and the great beyond that is the European group stages.

Before addressing the Richie Towell dive, that either was or was not, and the pitch invader during a tempestuous end game against Ludogorets, the Rovers manager confirmed late Tuesday night that Pico Lopes will miss two months with medial knee damage.

“It’s not too bad,” said Bradley of the Cape Verde international’s injury. “I thought he’d be out till next season.”

Rovers are surveying the market for defensive cover as the cupboard looks threadbare after Barry Cotter was loaned to St Patrick’s Athletic and Blackpool’s renewed interested in signing Ireland under-21 international Andy Lyons.

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“We won’t bring in anyone just to bring them in. If it’s someone that improves or fits what we do, we’ll definitely do it. We’re in that process.”

The hope is that Jack Byrne can return for Thursday’s Europa League third-round qualifier in Tallaght against North Macedonian champions Shkupi.

The Ireland international recovered from a calf problem only to suffer a hip flexor issue during a 13-minute cameo in Malta on July 12th. With Danny Mandroiu signed by Lincoln City, Byrne’s continued absence should be more damaging than it has proved as Dylan Watts, Towell and Graham Burke have performed well of late.

“It shows the squad is ready,” Bradley continued, “The young boys Aidomo [Emakhu, 18] and Justin [Ferizaj, 17] are ready and that is really good to see.

“[Emakhu] is both-footed, good in the box and finishes. He’s improving all the time and he’s a great kid. He really wants to work hard, be respectful and wants to become a top striker.”

Burke was particularly effective during Tuesday’s 2-1 victory over the Bulgarian champions while an all-action Towell appeared to dive when through on goal in the 65th minute. Italian referee Fabio Maresca certainly thought so, brandishing a yellow card that most people in the ground thought was for Slovenian international Žan Karničnik.

“The referee makes a massive decision when Richie is in on goal. I’ve seen it three or four times and it’s a foul. The fourth official actually said it was a foul, the linesman said it was a foul and I don’t know how the referee didn’t. I don’t see why he’d go down when through on goal. The full back just falls on top of him. You need those big decisions to your way because there’s small margins and it hasn’t gone our way.”

Replays of the incident appear inconclusive.

On the Rovers end raining bottles down on Sergio Padt’s goal near full-time and the pitch invader that was blocked from attacking a Ludogorets defender by stewards, Bradley said: “It’s not ideal but we’ve to go to look at their centre back throwing a bottle straight at the crowd. The fourth official is telling the ref it’s a red card but he didn’t act upon it. It’s not ideal but that was both ways.”

Roversl second leg is away to Shkupi on Tuesday week, so the UCD fixture on August 5th has been postponed, as beating the North Macedonians guarantees safe passage into the Europa Conference League, which is realistically where this Rovers squad have a chance of being competitive. Defeat to Shkupi sends them into a playoff for the same Conference group stages which is worth €3 million just for qualifying.