UEFA Conference League: Shamrock Rovers v The New Saints, Tallaght Stadium, Thursday, 5.45pm – Live TNT Sports 4 and Premier Sports 2

Stephen Bradley has reiterated that his Shamrock Rovers team were simply not good enough to retain their Premier Division title after the climax of the competition last Friday when Shelbourne were crowned champions.

The Rovers manager now wants to channel that frustration into a boost to ensure Rovers enter the new year in Europe as they prepare to face Welsh champions The New Saints at the Tallaght Stadium on Thursday evening.

Rovers have earned €533,000 in prize money after collecting four points so far in the new-fangled competition stage of the UEFA Conference League, on top of the approximately €4 million for reaching this stage.

After their first-ever group/league stage victory by beating Larne 4-1 at Windsor Park last month, Rovers sit 10th in the 36-team table, comfortably placed in the ninth-24th group, which would see a play-off reach the round of 16. .

The immediate challenge is a TNS side who have made a big impression in their two games so far. They held Italian Serie A side Fiorentina scoreless for 65 minutes before succumbing to a 2-0 defeat in the opening match in Florence.

Currently second in the Cymru Premier, with two games remaining, TNS have created their own piece of history by beating Kazakhstan’s Astana 2-0 at their temporary base in Shrewsbury, the latest time they recorded the first win for a Welsh side in booked this phase. of the UEFA competition.

“They have a very clear identity and you can tell they are very well coached,” Bradley said of the opponents. “They are a possession-based team, with a lot of very good, technical players.

“They have smart movements in and out of possession. They also have a lot of experience within the team, (players) who have been in the competitions in England and you can see that in the way they play. They have a really good mix. We have no illusions that it will be a difficult match against a good team.”

A win would put Rovers close to all but guarantee a play-off spot, something Bradley said he wanted from the start.

“We’ve put ourselves in a position to try to do that. Time will tell if we can do that. The aim is to try to win the game and if we do that, we will obviously still have games left and we will try to win some of them as well.

“But if we win tonight, I can imagine it gives us a very good chance of playing European football after Christmas.”

Defender Seán Kavanagh and forwards Rory Gaffney and Danny Mandroiu are missing through injury, while Seán Hoare is due to undergo a late fitness check.

Striker Marc McNulty will not be eligible as he is not registered, while midfielder Richie Towell will not be involved.

“We should enjoy this level and not come in with any trepidation,” said TNS manager Craig Harrison, the former Middlesbrough and Crystal Palace defender.

“If Rovers win they are close enough, and if we win we are a point or two away. I think eight points will be enough, or seven if you have a good goal difference.”