STEPHEN BRADLEY has confirmed there is a Covid case in the Shamrock Rovers camp.
A member of the backroom staff tested positive and the Hoops preparation for their 4-2 win in Derry was thrown into chaos.
Sean Gannon was deemed a close contact and had to sit out the game having been named in the starting team.
He did his own warm-up on the pitch away from his team-mates as Hoops staff were awaiting news on clearance as the minutes ticked down to kick-off.
Staff members took a volley of phone calls and relayed messages to players on the pitch as uncertainty grew as to who could and could not play.
The senior Rovers players travelled to Derry independently by car while one of the underage squads was scrambled and travelled as emergency back-up on two buses.
Bradley told Mirror Sport: “The club will put out a statement. Out of respect to the staff member involved, we’re not getting into it now but there was a Covid issue.
“Let’s just say it was a bit of a crazy day right up until kick off.
“We had to wait for clearance and we didn’t get it for certain players. The statement will go into more detail once the staff member is alright and we make sure he’s okay.”
Derry City boss Ruaidhri Higgins admitted the build-up in the hour before the game was ‘surreal’ as he tried to figure out the Rovers team he would face.
Higgins said: “Sean Gannon was down to start but wasn’t in the squad.
“Ronan Finn was due to be on the bench but started and Richie Towel wasn’t on the team-sheet at all and came on and scored.
“You saw them all on their phones half an hour before kickoff. And then getting handed a team sheet as we were about to warm up.
“It’s something I’ve never seen in all my time in football. I don’t know the rules and regulations but it was strange overall. It was a surreal experience.
“But that’s not the reason we lost the game. We got ourselves in front and didn’t capitalise on it.
“To be a really, really top team you have to win those games and put the opposition away and that is what we aspire to be. Shamrock Rovers are that benchmark.”
Champions and joint league leaders Rovers came from 2-0 down to win 4-2 and Bradley said: “It’s really pleasing as it could have been more in the end.
“It was a crazy game. We started sloppily, switched off and gave away two really poor goals but the second half was more like us. We moved the ball with more aggression.
“I wasn’t worried because we have come from behind so many times and I sound like a broken record saying that. I was more frustrated and angry than worried.”
