No stress for Shamrock Rovers as they set up Kosovo trip on strange night in Tallaght
Truth be told, it was a pretty strange night in Tallaght.
Early-stage European qualifiers tend to be stressful affairs for all concerned, given the stakes. There's €375,000 riding on each tie at this stage of the Conference League, but everyone involved with Shamrock Rovers already knew it was in the bank after last week's four-goal stroll in Gibraltar.
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Irish Independent
an hour ago
- Irish Independent
‘We've only half the job done' – Athlone's Shauna Brennan targets Champions League progression with tough four-day turnaround
A reward for Wednesday's 4-0 trouncing of Welsh side Cardiff City was another qualifier, also at home, against a more experienced Agram from Croatia, where the winners of that one-legged tie will move into the semi-final stage of the qualification rounds, where likes of Roma and Sparta Prague are already through with a bye. Athlone's players were all making their Champions League debuts against Cardiff and they are keen to extend their European season as far as possible. "It'll definitely be a different challenge on Saturday and we're expecting that. We know that we've only half the job done. Wednesday means nothing without Saturday so that's our focus,' says Athlone's Galway-born Shauna Brennan. "We know they're going to be a new challenge, they're going to be a good side. They've won the Croatian League but we'll look at their key players and we'll be ready for whatever comes at us.' Town's home ground was packed for the Cardiff game and another sell-out is expected for the visit of the Croatians as Brennan says that – despite the gloss of that 4-0 scoreline – the crowd did play a role. 'We haven't had a crowd like that before. It was a record crowd so it was great to see the support from everybody in Athlone to actually sell out the stadium. We were hoping it would be a sell out but obviously that depends on the fans and it was great to see them all come out and they're in blue and black,' she says. "I think it helped us in the first 10 minutes. We hit the ground running and I think the crowd really got behind us to do that and it helped us to win them tackles, the cheers from the crowd. They definitely did help us to get up for the game and be ready.' With a debate within the game overall about recovery and a mandated rest period between games, it's a big ask for the Athlone players – many of whom are part-time – to turn around and play two Champions League ties in four days. "It's tough,' says Brennan, who parked her Gaelic football career with Galway to focus on soccer with Athlone. 'We do have a lot of players that are full-time in Athlone but then there's the likes of myself and some of the other girls that are working or in college. "We stayed up on Wednesday night to get our recovery in and we'll do a light session on Friday night, a walkthrough probably and we'll be ready to go.'
The Journal
an hour ago
- The Journal
St Patrick's Athletic overcome scare in Estonia to keep European dream alive
The 42 Uefa Conference League second qualifying round, second leg Nomme Kalju 2 St Patrick's Athletic 2 St Patrick's Athletic win 3-2 on aggregate ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC'S European dream had been on life support before it was resuscitated in dramatic fashion in the pouring rain of Estonia. From the depths of despair came a thrilling joy courtesy of captain Joe Redmond's equaliser in the 91st minute and Jake Mulraney's winner early into extra time. It was either a flukey overhit cross or sublime piece of initiative by spotting the goalkeeper off his line – either way it was the decisive moment that ensured Stephen Kenny's men avoided a sobering defeat filled with regret. Just like how Nomme Kalju seized the initiative – and the lead – with goals in the moments either side of half-time of normal time, the Saints left the Estonians heartbroken with their response late in the day. As the rain lashed down throughout extra-time surface water began to appear to make it that bit harder to simply control possession and see out the tie. Allied with tired limbs entering the 120th minute it was only when the referee's whistle blew that Pat's fans could turn attention to a third-round qualifier against the loser of Beskitas and Shakhtar Donetsk next week. It currently looks like the Turkish giants, managed by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, will be coming to Dublin as their tie is ongoing and they trail 6-2. Maybe pushing for the third goal was the only way Kenny's men could retain focus given the way in which they switched off to allow Kalje find a way back into contention. The first half was following a similar pattern to the game in Dublin. Pat's had the ball, Kalju were happy to sit deep and close down when required, with Kenny's side unable to penetrate. As it wore on Pat's took their foot off the gas and some of the earlier zip about their passing faded. Advertisement They didn't need to go and chase another goal at that stage but with the hosts labouring and unable to seize the initiative the opportunity was there to punish them. But Pat's allowed Kalju grow in confidence and they were the ones to make things happen for themselves. Firstly, they drew level two minutes before half-time with a simple move down the left that caught Pat's out. Kristjan Kask beat Redmond for pace and with the centre back out of position the pull back for Ivans Patrikejevs bursting ahead of Barry Baggley into the box was perfect for him to strike first time and beat Joseph Anang low to his right. Kenny didn't hesitate to make a change at the break with Aidan Keena replacing Melia, but more lethargy in defence saw the Estonians go ahead in the tie four minutes into the second half. This time it was a second ball that kept an attack alive after an overhit cross from the right. Ivanov picked it up and with Pat's not set to defend the threat his inswinging cross was met with a powerful header by Mattias Mannilaan. Chris Forrester was brought on for Baggley in response but by the 65th minute goalkeeper Maksim Pavlov only had to make a save from a fierce Keena effort from distance. The striker then had to be replaced by Conor Carty with what looked like a thigh injury just moments later as the night got worse for St Pat's. They were staring defeat in the face until Redmond reacted quickest in the 91st minute to guide a brilliant side-foot shot into the roof of the net through a sea of bodies after Mulraney's free-kick had been parried back towards the penalty spot. Pat's sensed blood in the rain water of Tallinn and three minutes into extra-time the home side's resolve was finally broken when Mulraney was given time and space on the right. He was allowed cut in on his left and he flighted a ball over the head of goalkeeper Maksim Pavlov. All of a sudden there was sweet relief, and a release of emotion for the Saints as they now become the underdogs in the third round. Nomme Kalju: Maksim Pavlov; Daniil Tarassenkov, Uku Korre, Modou Tambedou (captain), Aleksandr Nikolajev; Oleksandr Musolitin (Mihhail Orlov 112), Ivans Patrikejevs, Nikita Ivanov (Pavel Marin 80), Kristjan Kask; Mattias Mannilaan, Guilhereme Smith. St Patrick's Athletic: Joey Anang; Ryan McLaughlin, Joe Redmond (captain), Tom Grivosti, Jason McClelland (Anto Breslin 96); Jake Mulraney (Al-Amin Kazeem 105), Barry Baggley (Chris Forrester 51), Jamie Lennon, Kian Leavy (Brandon Kavanagh 72), Simon Power; Mason Melia (Aidan Keena HT) (Conor Carty 72). Referee: Menelaos Antoniou (Cyprus). Written by David Sneyd and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won't find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women's sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here .
The 42
an hour ago
- The 42
Stalemate sees Shamrock Rovers comfortably through in Conference League
UEFA Conference League (second qualifying round, second leg) Shamrock Rovers 0 St Joseph's 0 (Shamrock Rovers win 4-0 on aggregate) Paul Buttner reports from Tallaght Stadium WITH THE hard yards emphatically done in last week's 4-0 win in Gibraltar, Shamrock Rovers never needed to come close to adding to that record away win in Europe here to rubber-stamp their passage through to the third round of the Conference League qualifiers. Stephen Bradley's side now meet Kosovans FC Ballkani, who beat Floriana of Malta 5-3 on aggregate, with the winners advancing to the play-offs for the League Phase. Irish League side Larne, having stunned fellow Kosovans Prishtina in a dramatic penalty shootout, means Rovers travel to Kosovo next Thursday for their first leg (instead of Tuesday), meaning Sunday's league game at home to Derry City goes ahead as rescheduled. With a European debut for 20-year-old defensive midfielder Cian Barrett, one of six changes from Gibraltar, Rovers took seven minutes to settle into the game, creating a gilt-edged chance to have gone ahead on the night. Advertisement Skipper Roberto Lopes and Gary O'Neill worked the ball down the right for the run of Rory Gaffney. The veteran striker skilfully turned inside Geovanni Barba to force a parry save at his left-hand post from Bradley Banda. Danny Grant knows he should have done far better than blaze the rebound high over the crossbar. But that was as good as it got by way of further troubling the St Joseph's goal in the first half as the visitors, playing with no little confidence, spurned a big chance of their own to take the lead on 31 minutes. Barba was allowed to surge forward from the back to play a sublime through ball for the clever run of Javi Forjan. Ed McGinty's positioning was spot on as he saved well with his legs. There was another let off for a sluggish Rovers minutes before the break, Angel Martinez volleying wide after Jayce Olivero's deep cross dropped for him on the edge of the area. With more urgency to their game on the resumption, and Lee Grace and John McGovern into the fray at either end of the pitch, replacing Lopes and Gaffney, Rovers moved the ball with more intent, a terrific save preventing a goal eight minutes in. Teenager Michael Noonan was the unintentional architect with his shot getting a flick off the head of McGovern to bring a superb reaction stop from Banda. While owning the ball for much of the remainder of the game, further clear-cut chances were scarce. There was a late shout for a penalty not entertained by the Swedish referee when Noonan appeared to be tripped by substitute Javi Paul, but, try as they might, Rovers' winner on the night never materialised. Shamrock Rovers: McGinty; O'Neill, Lopes (Grace, h-t), C. O'Sullivan; Grant, Barrett, McEneff (Watts, 63), Honohan (Mandroiu, 63); Byrne (Kavanagh, 63); Noonan, Gaffney (McGovern, h-t). St Joseph's: Banda; Volz, Cardozo (Javi Paul, 79), Barba, Olivero; Pena (Rodriguez, 60), Sanchez, Juanma; Gibson (Armental, h-t), Forjan (Santos, 65), Martinez. Referee: Granit Maqedonci (Sweden). Attendance: 5,128.
