David Sneyd

SHAMROCK ROVERS AND Shelbourne prepare for matchday two of the Uefa Conference League tonight with the same ambition but a realisation that they might have to go about things differently to achieve it.

Qualification for the knockout phase is the stated aim of both League of Ireland clubs.

Stephen Bradley reiterated after Rovers’ 1-0 defeat to St Patrick’s Athletic last Friday that seven points is the magic number to ensure a place in the knockout phase play-offs.

The stats at Bradley’s disposal suggest seven points gives an 87% chance of progress. The top eight proceed automatically, the eight below will be seeded in the play-offs, while those teams from 16 to 24 in the 32-team league will be unseeded.

The three European campaigns during Bradley’s reign have come at contrasting times in the League of Ireland.

In 2022, Rovers were in such a tight race to be crowned Premier Division champions for a third season in a row that games with Gent, Molde and Djugarden were effectively sacrificed to ensure they didn’t drop the ball domestically.

At that point, putting themselves in contention for returning to European competition on a consistent basis was of more importance than giving a stronger, more experienced opponent a bloody nose.

Rovers lost four and drew the other two of their six games but, crucially, won the title so progressed into the all-important champions’ path of qualifying.

Last season, Shels were the ones to build up such an early lead in the league and sought to close out the job as Rovers played catch-up. They were unable to do so but Europe also offered a different focus, a form of respite that infused their season with different possibilities.

Especially with the new Swiss league model that did away with the old home and away ties with the same three opponents in a group and instead saw clubs face six different opponents with three games home and away.

The fixture list last year also provided Rovers with more reason to believe, and after Dylan Watts helped snatch a dramatic late point at home to APOEL Bradley’s side were up and running.

Back-to-back wins over Larne and The New Saints followed before a 1-1 draw away to Rapid Vienna and comprehensive 3-0 victory over Borac Banja.

This season things have been flipped on their head with the fixture list. Rovers are the champions-elect so even more emphasis can be put on Europe, although it is accepted by Bradley that they will likely require a result in their final game at home to Hamrum Spartans of Malta a week before Christmas to get near the magic number of seven points.

A 3-1 defeat away to Sparta Prague on matchday one came on the Thursday before a FAI Cup semi-final with First Division Kerry.

Bradley rested Graham Burke, Dylan Watts and Danny Mandroiu in Czechia and Rovers duly swept Colin Healy’s team aside to make the Aviva Stadium showpiece on 9 November.

They will arrive in Dublin 4 just a few days after playing AEK Athens in Greece, while tonight it is runaway Slovenian league leaders Celje coming to Tallaght Stadium on the back of a comprehensive 3-1 win over AEK in which striker Franko Kovačević scored a hat-trick.

The 26-year-old former Croatia U21 international has already found the net 20 times in 18 appearances this season, and only joined the club in June after a year on loan in South Korea with Gangwon.

Rovers beat Celje in qualifying last season, although Kovačević is one of 16 new signings made by the former Liverpool winger Albert Riera.

Patience will be key as Rovers plot their way through the next couple of months and a big night awaits in Tallaght. Celje provide a different, tougher challenge than before. Bradley accused Riera and his team of being arrogant and disrespectful in their approach last year so that’s another subplot to the drama.

Some 3,000 kilometres away at the Toše Proeski Arena in Skopje, Shels face some of their own against North Macedonian champions Shkendija.

They’ve been involved in European qualifiers in 12 of the last 13 seasons so have a far greater depth of experience compared to Shels, although like the reigning League of Ireland champions – until Sunday, at least – this is their first taste of group/league phase football.

Shels’ form combined with the fixtures suggest their hopes are front loaded in comparison to Rovers. It feels like they require a sprint to seventh heaven as games with AZ Alkmaar, Crystal Palace and then Celje away could make it a slog of a finish.

New contracts for Ali Coote and John Martin were confirmed on Tuesday evening as the building work continues. Joey O’Brien has ensured a seamless transition to the post Damien Duff age. In 12 league games under the former Ireland international the Reds have won seven, drawn four and lost just once.

In Europe, the 0-0 ‘home’ (played in Tallaght not Tolka Park) draw with BK Hacken earlier this month was further indication of maturity on this stage, too. There has been an increased confidence and control to Shels’ play and they’ve already pulled off one major scalp away from home when they beat Croatian champions Rijeka in the first leg of their Europa League qualifier in August.

O’Brien’s mantra since day one has been about attacking every game in whatever way they feel is the best way possible to get a result, and for Shels it does feel like they need to get their points on the board early.

Tonight – Shkendija v Shelbourne (5.45pm), Shamrock Rovers v Celje (8pm). Both live on Premier Sports 1.