Shamrock Rovers' quest for a first Irish Daily Mail FAI Cup since 1987 is still alive this season after they beat non-league Bluebell at Tallaght on Friday night. The Hoops were on top throughout the game, and eventually won on a scoreline of 4-2.
Shamrock Rovers' quest for a first Irish Daily Mail FAI Cup since 1987 is still alive this season after they beat non-league Bluebell at Tallaght on Friday night.
The Hoops were on top throughout the game, and eventually won on a scoreline of 4-2.
Rovers boss Stephen Bradley tells SSE Airtricity League reporter Peter Branigan that it was good to get into the last four.
"I thought we dominated the game, to be fair.
"We had to respect what Bluebell were going to bring. Win or lose, that was their Cup Final this evening."
"Attacking wise and possession wise, I thought we were really, really good."
Aaron Bolger, who "plays like a 37 year-old even though he's only 17" according to Bradley, was hugely impressive for the Tallaght Stadium side, but the star of the show was undoubtedly hat-trick hero Brandon Miele.
"I think you'd have to go a long way to see a better hat-trick."
"He has a strange way of hitting the ball, but it's an excellent technique."
"He works on it most days after training, so it's no coincidence that he scores goals like those three tonight."
"When it comes off like that, it's nearly unstoppable."
Although the Rovers' boss was delighted to be into the last four, the nature of the Bluebell goals was a cause for concern for him.
"We've been so good as a team, defensively but we slacked off for those little periods of two or three minutes."
"We got a bit complacent, and we never closed the ball down for either cross."
"We lost runners on both crosses, and we haven't been like that recently, so that was disappointing."
But overall, Bradley says Rovers are where they want to be.
"If you had offered me this at the start of the season, fighting for two Cups, and for third place in the league, I would have taken your hand off."
And next up for them is the League Cup Final at Tallaght against Dundalk next Saturday.
