Shamrock Rovers may have battled to claim a thrilling 3-2 win over Dundalk on Friday night, but manager Stephen Bradley was preoccupied with what he described as a 'coward's' tackle by Dundalk full-back Bobby Burns on Cian Barrett. Twice in the first half Rovers went ahead, first through Dylan Watts and then through Michael Noonan, but they were pegged back on each occasion. Robert Cornwall cancelled out Watts's early penalty, while Daryl Horgan also scored from the spot to make it 2-2. There were hugely unsavoury scenes after Dundalk's second goal, with a Rovers fan rushing the pitch after a provocative Horgan celebration and attempting to swipe at the veteran striker. 'This is not what we want to see at all' said a supporter on the pitch after Horgan's penalty. Eventually, Jonathan Afolabi would put the home side back in front just before half-time, and Rovers would hold their 3-2 lead to full-time to take a commanding 10-point lead in the Premier Division table. Further flashpoints did come in the second half, though, none more noteworthy than Bobby Burns's late challenge on Cian Barrett. Burns launched into a tackle after the whistle had already blown, catching Barrett and leaving the Rovers man requiring treatment. Barrett continued on for another 20 minutes, but he would eventually be stretchered off in injury-time after taking further blows. The controversial challenge from Bobby Burns on Cian Barrett. 'The left-back knows exactly what he's doing, he's gone to hurt him,' the Rovers boss said in his post-match interview with Virgin Media. 'People's careers are ended over stuff like that. That can't be acceptable. For the referee not to see it and to laugh it off, it's not good enough.' Barrett has since been brought to hospital, where an assessment is being carried out on the severity of his injury. Regardless of the outcome of those scans for Barrett, Bradley believes that a lengthy ban should be coming the way of the Dundalk man. 'That's career-ending stuff. That's a shocking tackle from the left back. It's disgusting, it's a coward's tackle.' With Shamrock Rovers sitting 10 points clear of St Patrick's Athletic at the top of the Premier Division table, their next fixture is a trip to Egnatia Rrogozhinë on August 13.