'That was 100% a sending-off': Stephen Bradley bemoans James McClean call

Bradley insists officiating standards have declined over the decade he’s been at the helm of the champions.

LUCKY MCCLEAN?: Derry’s Liam Boyce and James McClean with Referee Aaron O’Dowd. Pic: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne.

James McClean should have been issued with his second red card of the season on Monday, according to Stephen Bradley.

His Shamrock Rovers side were denied a penalty – and a chance to cancel out Derry City’s lead – when McClean upended Dylan Watts inside the box on the half hour.

That referee Aaron O’Dowd had earlier issued a booking to the ex-Ireland centurion influenced the decision, in the eyes of the Hoops boss.

He insists officiating standards have declined over the decade he’s been at the helm of the champions.

Rovers grabbed a late draw through Aaron Greene’s equaliser which increased their lead at the summit to six points, albeit with two games more played than second-placed St Patrick’s Athletic.

“If it’s a sending off, it’s a sending off and that was 100% a sending-off,” Bradley said about McClean, who was red carded at Dundalk in April for two bookings.

“It’s an awful decision. If you are five yards away from someone getting clipped in the box and don’t give it, where do you go?

“Are you going to coward out of a decision because you might have to make two? Two wrongs don’t make a right.

“That (McClean) was a factor but the penalty could have had us level at half-time.” He added on the general standards: "We’re seeing something every week now with referees. It's really, really poor and lets the players down.

“The standard needs to come up because you cannot miss those decisions when you’re standing five yards away.” Despite his gripes, Bradley’s isn’t saying that embracing the VAR concept is the answer.

“That’s a bigger discussion because I don't like how long it takes,” he noted. There's too many opinions on it now.”