Shamrock Rovers will be without three first-team players for their final two Premier Division matches after the club received a series of suspensions. Manager Stephen Bradley has labelled the League of Ireland's disciplinary system as 'not fit for purpose' following the bans handed to Danny Grant, Naj Razi and Dawson Devoy. The suspensions are a major setback for the league leaders, who sit first in the Premier Division with 65 points from 34 games, having recorded 19 wins, eight draws and seven losses.
The suspensions stem from the aftermath of the Dublin derby against Bohemians on October 12th, a match Rovers won 2-1. John McGovern and Dylan Watts scored the goals in that victory, which helped maintain a three-point lead at the top. Grant, who was injured and in the stands, received a four-match ban for entering the field of play after the final whistle. Bohs captain Devoy and Rovers teenager Razi were each given three-match suspensions for violent conduct. All three players will now miss the remainder of the season, starting with Friday's home game against Sligo Rovers.
Bradley was scathing in his assessment of the process. "Everything around it needs to change," the Shamrock Rovers boss said. "It is so poor how it is done." He argued the system, which operates via a panel of volunteers using the referee's report, lacks a proper appeals avenue and is too slow. "It definitely can be done quicker," Bradley added.
Bradley detailed his frustrations with the timeline, noting the incident occurred on October 12 but the club only received the charges on the following Monday, with the hearing not taking place until the subsequent Monday. He said this left the club with just two days to prepare a defence before the hearing. "The whole process is not fit for purpose," he reiterated.
He also took issue with the severity of the bans, particularly for Danny Grant. Bradley stated. He confirmed the club would appeal the decisions, but criticised the lack of a proper appeals committee, saying any appeal currently goes back to the same panel that issued the initial suspension.
The timing is a significant blow for the league leaders, who sit three points clear of Bohemians with two games left. Bradley's side, who have 65 points from 34 games, saw their recent form dip with a 2-0 loss to Galway United last time out. That defeat was part of a recent run of three wins and two losses from their last five matches. They now face a Sligo Rovers side sitting 10th in the standings, a team they beat 2-1 away in July. The squad will also be without their top scorer this season, R. Gaffney, who has netted nine goals in 27 appearances, as he is among the suspended players. With the title race still alive, the absence of key personnel adds pressure ahead of the final fixtures. The club's full squad will need to step up as they aim to secure the championship, beginning with the visit of Sligo Rovers to Tallaght Stadium on Friday evening.
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