Stephen Bradley showed 'extraordinary' resolve in 2022 season

Former St Patrick's Athletic winger Conan Byrne has hailed Stephen Bradley's "extraordinary" resolve in 2022, guiding Shamrock Rovers to a third successive Premier Division, while dealing with his son Josh's illness.

Sunday evening was party-time for the Hoops, the southside kingpins hoisting the Premier Division trophy aloft once again, their 20th league title overall and the third of Bradley's reign.

Presented with the league trophy following the 1-0 win over nearest rivals Derry City, captain Ronan Finn lifted it jointly with Josh Bradley, the Hoops' manager's eight-year old son, who has been receiving treatment for leukaemia.

On an emotional night, Bradley told RTÉ Sport afterwards that he had asked the players to win the title for his son.

Speaking on the RTÉ Soccer podcast, Byrne, a Premier Division winner with St Pat's in 2013, marvelled at how Bradley had carried himself throughout the season.

"I don't know how he's got through the season. For everything that's gone on, both on the pitch but obviously off it as well. It's just incredible.

"For a man to be able to go about his business, and to get another league winning team and the squad of players that he would have had to manage really, really well. And then to go home from training every single day to fight another battle with his son, it's truly extraordinary.

"It goes to show the togetherness that team has. He asked them to win the league for Josh and they've done that. Ten points clear of second place, one defeat in 15 in the league. 29 games without defeat at home in Tallaght.

"He asked them to win the league for Josh and they did that in spades" Conan Byrne praises the job Stephen Bradley has done at Shamrock Rovers during a tough time for his