‘Football  takes a back seat at Letterkenny Rovers this week’ - Joel Bradley Walsh

Joel Bradley Walsh admits there are more important things in life than football as Letterkenny Rovers progressed to the fourth round of the FAI Junior Cup with a 3-0 home win over Peake Villa from Tipperary.

A goal from Lee McMonagle and a brace from BJ Banda ensured a spot in the fifth round of the competition, with the draw for that stage yet to be completed. 

Bradley Walsh had two efforts in the second half saved by the visiting goalkeeper, and while he was delighted with the progression and the ability of the side he made sure to take the opportunity to offer condolences, on behalf of Rovers, to the family of the club’s youth team player, Fionn McLaughlin, who died suddenly at the weekend. 

“I'd just like to offer condolences first,” he said. ”Football takes a back seat in these situations, and we all wore black armbands today in memory and we can't imagine the level of heartache that that family is going through.

“On the subject of football, it's good to see that we and other Donegal teams can hold our ground in these competitions because as soon as these fixtures come out, everyone looks forward to it”.

Rovers held a two-goal advantage at the interval, and while it is often said in the sport that that can be a dangerous scoreline, Bradley Walsh was thankful that the third goal calmed the nerves against an opponent that they knew very little about.

“BJ Banda, when he plays off the shoulder, he's one of the best in Ireland, and we're so grateful he's on our side,” he said about the third Rovers goal.

“We jumped into the unknown a little bit because we didn't know a whole lot about Peake Villa FC, and the homework we got was obtained last week, but we did study that excessively. 

“Two goals up against a team we don't really know is dangerous, but with the experience we have in the dressing room, players who have seen it before, it's fantastic to have them in your ear throughout and keep you on the right path.”

Rovers have started the season extremely well and have only failed to win one game so far, and Bradley Walsh relied on that old cliché that in order to maintain the record, they'll need the whole squad.

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“We didn't pick up all three points in the first game of the season, but since then we've only looked forward. 

“We were a little bit shaky at the start, but we've been getting bodies back, and we've got the full squad now. 

“In order to go far in big competitions like this, you'll need more than just eleven, and even the players that came off the bench today, it's so important to have them, and it's up to them to get back into the starting lineup.”