Bradley tips Honohan's scales into the big time

Shamrock Rovers are expecting big things from Josh Honohan - title-winning boss Stephen Bradley comparing their Cork capture to Liam Scales.

The five-in-a-row chasing champions paid a small five-figure sum to recruit the 23-year-old from relegated City and he’s thrived in several positions since.

Friday’s emphatic 3-1 win over Bohemians in front of 10,094 people at Tallaght Stadium – the largest in the league this century – continued his spell as a left-wing back.

His endeavours were recognised when named man-of-the-match by pundit and former Ireland defender Kenny Cunningham.

Scales underwent a similar path, joining from UCD as a left-sided defender before being headhunted by Celtic in 2021 for an initial fee of €600,000.

He has since started in the Champions League group stages and broke into the Ireland team at the latter stages of the Stephen Kenny era last year.

“I think Josh has a really high ceiling,” said Bradley after their second successive win.

“I’d watched him for a year. Every time I watched his games, I was thinking he's playing in a different position. But, he's taken me by surprise because he's so comfortable.

“What I love about Josh is when you're dealing with him during the week, helping him technically and tactically, he wants all the information you can give him.

“I think he's going to be a centre-back as time goes on. He's tailormade to be one, lightning quick, both footed really good on the ball and can play wing back or full back.

“I said when I signed him that I saw the Liam Scales mentality in him, someone who you could ask to play up front and he'd say how do you want me to play it, no problem, I'll do it.

“That's the kind of character he is. There's so much more to come from him. I