Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Bradley has given his support to Drogheda United chairperson and Sinn Féin TD Joanna Byrne, who has been asked to step down by the Louth club following her support for a boycott of the Ireland-Israel fixtures in the Nations League.
Byrne, who is a member of the FAI's General Assembly which voted in November to ask UEFA to sanction Israel for violating their statutes in relation to the war in Gaza, has said she will not give up her voluntary position.
Speaking to RTÉ Sport this morning Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Bradley said he supports Byrne and said he couldn’t believe that Drogheda's owners, American investment group Trivela, would try to censor her views.
Bradley believes that Byrne has every right to her opinion and says that we are in very damaged territory if employers believe they can censor people’s opinion.
Stephen Bradley has given his support to Drogheda United chairperson and Sinn Féin TD Joanna Byrne, who has been asked to step down by the Louth club following her support for a boycott of the Ireland-Israel fixtures in the Nations League. @Corktod reports #RTEsoccer pic.twitter.com/mjl1NH52Tq
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) February 19, 2026
On the wider issue of whether the FAI should consider boycotting the Nations League fixture against Israel Bradley believes that the decision should have been taken out of their hands but believes strongly that Israel should not be in the competition.
"It should have been taken out of players', and the FAI’s hand, it hasn't been.
"I would love to see them boycott the game. Some things are bigger than football. Genocide is bigger than football and sometimes you have got to make a decision and live with the consequences"
"And if it was us I would be asking the board, I don't think we should play them.
"Israel shouldn't be in the competition. But they are, which is wrong. The FAI are in a no win situation. The players and staff.
"It's easy for me to stand here and say what I'm saying. I'm not directly impacted by it, but I genuinely believe and I will always say some things are bigger than football. What's going on is wrong."
Last November at an FAI EGM in Dublin a motion citing Israel's breach of UEFA statutes and calling for their suspension from European football competitions was passed by 74 votes to seven.
A UN commission of inquiry report found that Israel had committed genocide during the war in Gaza and the motion highlighted two breaches of UEFA laws, violations which Israel disputes.
Meanwhile Bradley has admitted his players are champing at the bit to play a game after missing the first two weeks of the season.
They host St Patrick's Athletic on Friday night, and with improved weather in the last week, the Hoops are finally ready to make their bow.
Bradley concedes it hasn’t been ideal but there has also been an upside, given his squad had a short pre-season due to only finishing the 2025 campaign in mid-December.
He explained: "It’s frustrating. But the weather is the weather. There is nothing we can do about it, it has affected the whole country. We’re no different. It’s frustrating but it is what it is.
"The extra two weeks has allowed us to train harder and get players up to speed which is a positive. We haven’t really been able to train on grass. Like everyone else we’ve been on astro turf but there’s no point complaining."
Over 7,500 tickets have been sold for the Dublin derby with Stephen Kenny’s men, indicating the anticipation for the fixture.
The Hoops boss explained: "People have missed it. We’ve missed it. Us against Pat’s always draws a big crowd. We’re looking forward to it, hopefully it’s a sell-out."
Jake Mulraney could now, remarkably, make his league debut against the side he left in the off-season.
Having failed to live up to expectation in Dublin 8, he will now look to make the best possible start in green and white.
"Jake has trained really well since he has come in," said his manager.
"He looks really fit and sharp. Jake is definitely in contention tomorrow."
Asked if the winger has something to prove against the Saints, Bradley stated: "No, Jake just needs to relax and play his game. Jake will tell you why he didn’t reach his full potential at St Pat’s and that can happen at times for different reason.
"Since he has been with us he has been excellent and we’re really looking forward to getting him going."
