AFTER A WAIT more agonising than extra-time in Belgrade, Shamrock Rovers fans finally got official confirmation of the news they had been waiting for this afternoon.

Tallaght Stadium has been approved as the venue for Rovers’ Europa League group fixtures after recent infrastructural upgrades were inspected and cleared by a UEFA delegation earlier this week.

The decision paves the way for Rovers to host Rubin Kazan, PAOK and Tottenham Hotspur in the intimate surroundings of their home ground rather than having to relocate to the much larger Aviva Stadium, a move opposed by many of the Rovers supporters.

Upon hearing the news, the Rovers chairman, Jonathan Roche, said:

“It is wonderful news for us as a club, but also for the Tallaght area. We were pushing hard to have the games played at Tallaght, and are delighted that UEFA have given us the go-ahead.”

FAI Chief Executive John Delaney also thanked UEFA for their co-operation.

Additonal reporting: Paul Fennessy

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