Stephen Bradley: 'If we play like we did for 60 minutes of that game we'll get results'

Stephen Bradley isn't concerned about Shamrock Rovers' attacking options despite being held goalless at home by Derry City for a second time this season.

The Candystripes completed a clean sweep of victories over Rovers – conceding just once – as they eked out a 2-0 win in a tepid encounter at Tallaght Stadium on Friday.

The Hoops dominated much of the play and controlled the tempo for the second half but they had to wait until the fourth minute of injury to register their first shot on target.

Before that, the closest they'd come was a Gary Shaw effort off the post with the scores at 1-0, while Graham Burke, Ronan Finn and Trevor Clarke all put good chances wide of the post.

Bradley was more vexed about his side's defending, having conceded a cheap long-range goal to Aaron McEneff, with the Hoops now eight points behind Derry in third place.

“I thought the last ten minutes of the first half and the majority of the second half we dominated the game,” Bradley told extratime.ie.

“We conceded a sloppy goal from our point of view because we allow a very good striker of the ball too much space and time.

“We created so many chances that I'll take that. The ones that Ronan, Trevor, Davey and Graham just hooked by the post, on another day they go the other side of the post.

“I'm not too worried about that in terms of shots on target – I'm more concerned that we created lots of chance. We just need to be more ruthless at the other end of the pitch.”

With third place all but confirmed for Derry with eight games to go, the Hoops will need to achieve in the cup if they're to secure European football for a fourth successive season.

While the EA Sports Cup doesn't come with a European place, tomorrow's semi-final with Cork City is an opportunity to build up cup experience in a side light on trophywinners.

Bradley said defenders Roberto Lopes and Sam Bone are due back next week from surgery and a fractured cheekbone respectively, but will miss the FAI Cup first round game with Glenville on Friday.

While Glenville sit in the second tier of intermediate football, Bradley will take no chances in a competition that could yet rescue his season.

“Unless we have injuries, we'll play as strong as we can next Friday. I said tonight that win, lose or draw there were no issues in terms of our season and where we're trying to get to.

“We know [Derry] are in the driving seat now and they need to drop points. We need to look after ourselves and we go and win the games we have in front of us and see where that takes us.

“If we play like we did for 60 minutes of that game we'll be fine in terms of results.”