The season proper begins here for Shamrock Rovers with one of the toughest fixtures they are likely to face all year.
Molde have had a somewhat disappointing campaign so far.
They finished 13 places below Shamrock Rovers in 23rd in the table, winning two and losing three of their six games.
Stephen Bradley’s side, who are in unchartered territory for an Irish side in Europe, have often been slow starters in the league in recent seasons, but they will need to adapt fairly quickly back to competitive football here.
They also have a couple of new faces in their squad who will need to get up to speed promptly, including highly-rated 16-year-old striker Michael Noonan, who has been handed a start tonight.
13 Feb
5:26PM
Here’s confirmation of the Shamrock Rovers starting XI…
A pic via my colleague David Sneyd, the Shamrock Rovers end is beginning to fill up ahead of the 5.45pm kick-off, with a Scandinavian Hoops flag among the interesting sights…
Shamrock Rovers' Daniel Cleary, left, and Roberto Lopes, centre, fight for the ball with Molde's Magnus Wolff Eikrem. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
13 Feb
6:17PM
31 mins: Noonan has been very isolated up top but he’s just won another free kick.
The youngster’s hold-up play has been encouraging so far.
13 Feb
6:18PM
32 mins: VAR has a look at a Rovers penalty claim but it’s rightly ignored.
Mandroiu probably was fouled but the contact occurred outside the area.
Shamrock Rovers' Lee Grace, right, and Molde's Mats Moller Daehli fight for the ball. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
13 Feb
6:26PM
36 mins: Great play by Noonan on the counter-attack.
The teenager carries the ball several yards, showing good pace before getting fouled by Breivik, who gets the game’s first booking as a result of that challenge.
13 Feb
6:27PM
36 mins: Great play by Noonan on the counter-attack.
The teenager carries the ball several yards, showing good pace before getting fouled by Breivik, who gets the game’s first booking as a result of that challenge.
Another impressive display from Shamrock Rovers in Europe.
It sets them up well for next week’s second leg in Tallaght, as they now look in a strong position to advance to the round of 16.
One of the main concerns for Rovers was that the loss of players like Neil Farrugia and Johnny Kenny would significantly hamper their European campaign.
However, the new players have performed with similar panache.
In particular, it was a night to remember for Michael Noonan, who looks to have a bright future ahead of him.
Stephen Bradley’s bold decision to start the 16-year-old paid off, as he was at the heart of the game’s two key incidents — causing the Molde red card and scoring the winning goal.
13 Feb
7:47PM
A stat that conveys the enormity of Noonan’s achievement…
⭐️🇮🇪 Michael Noonan makes history as Shamrock Rovers became the youngest goalscorer in European club competition history after scoring vs Molde tonight.
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As it happened: Molde v Shamrock Rovers, Uefa Conference League
Molde 0-1 Shamrock Rovers
Good evening.
The season proper begins here for Shamrock Rovers with one of the toughest fixtures they are likely to face all year.
Molde have had a somewhat disappointing campaign so far.
They finished 13 places below Shamrock Rovers in 23rd in the table, winning two and losing three of their six games.
Stephen Bradley’s side, who are in unchartered territory for an Irish side in Europe, have often been slow starters in the league in recent seasons, but they will need to adapt fairly quickly back to competitive football here.
They also have a couple of new faces in their squad who will need to get up to speed promptly, including highly-rated 16-year-old striker Michael Noonan, who has been handed a start tonight.
Here’s confirmation of the Shamrock Rovers starting XI…
Here is the Molde team that will line out tonight…
Who do you think will progress in this tie to play Legia Warsaw or Cercle Brugge?
Poll Results:
A pic via my colleague David Sneyd, the Shamrock Rovers end is beginning to fill up ahead of the 5.45pm kick-off, with a Scandinavian Hoops flag among the interesting sights…
We’re underway…
3 mins: It’s been a relatively quiet opening.
Molde have had the majority of the possession so far.
4 mins: Early involvement for Noonan as he wins a free kick while holding the ball up.
What a night it is for the 16-year-old.
8 mins: It continues to be a tight game with no chances for either side.
Rovers have been happy to sit back and soak up pressure so far.
16 mins: It continues to be very cagey.
Shamrock Rovers won’t mind that at all.
Stephen Bradley would undoubtedly see a draw as a positive result to take back to Tallaght as the Dublin side bid for a place in the round of 16.
20 mins: Molde continue to dominate possession without threatening.
The Irish side would ideally want more of the ball.
All this chasing is bound to take its toll as the match progresses.
22 mins: First semi-nervy moments for Rovers.
A ball is played into the box and Amundsen takes a touch before his attempted overhead kick goes well wide.
Seconds later, Eriksen finds himself through on goal but his tame finish from a difficult angle is easily saved by McGinty.
31 mins: Noonan has been very isolated up top but he’s just won another free kick.
The youngster’s hold-up play has been encouraging so far.
32 mins: VAR has a look at a Rovers penalty claim but it’s rightly ignored.
Mandroiu probably was fouled but the contact occurred outside the area.
36 mins: Great play by Noonan on the counter-attack.
The teenager carries the ball several yards, showing good pace before getting fouled by Breivik, who gets the game’s first booking as a result of that challenge.
36 mins: Great play by Noonan on the counter-attack.
The teenager carries the ball several yards, showing good pace before getting fouled by Breivik, who gets the game’s first booking as a result of that challenge.
RED CARD FOR MOLDE!
42 mins: Big moment!
Noonan shows another great pace to burst through on goal.
The centre-back Lund makes a desperate lunge and is taken down, with the referee promptly showing a red card
Molde react by bringing on a defender, Haugan, for an attacker, Gulbrandsen.
Moments later, Lopes gets on the end of a free kick but can’t steer his attempt on target.
Rovers will suddenly feel this game is very winnable.
45 mins: Watts has just been booked and will miss the second leg at Tallaght through suspension.
It was a late challenge by the midfielder, but Stenevik did him no favours with his theatrical reaction.
HALF-TIME: MOLDE 0-0 SHAMROCK ROVERS
So that’s that.
Stephen Bradley will be happy with that opening 45.
Molde dominated possession and looked the slightly sharper of the two teams.
However, Rovers have been relatively comfortable in dealing with the hosts’ attacks.
The bold call to pick 16-year-old Michael Noonan has also been rewarded, as the teenager’s burst of pace through on goal led to the red card for Lund.
Rovers will now be expected to capitalise on their man advantage in the second half.
Going into the game, a draw would have been considered a decent result for the Premier Division side.
Now, they will feel there is a big opportunity to secure an even better outcome ahead of next week’s second leg in Tallaght.
Here’s a look at the key moment in that first half…
The second half has begun…
Molde made another change at the break.
The left-sided attacker Kaasa has been replaced by Hestad.
49 mins: Haugan gets booked having just come on as he takes down Honohan just outside the area.
Watts puts in an inviting free-kick but it’s defended well as Cleary can’t quite get his head to the ball.
52 mins: Rovers are looking increasingly confident and committing more bodies forward in this second half.
Healy has just driven a low shot inches wide outside the area.
The 10 men of Molde, however, remain a threat and have had a few menacing forays into Rovers territory since the break.
MOLDE 0-1 SHAMROCK ROVERS (NOONAN 57)
Rovers are ahead!
Watts does really well to close down and win the ball off Norway international Mats Møller Dæhli inside the Molde area.
He squares it to Noonan, who slides it home with a brilliant opportunistic finish with a defender nearby.
Here’s a look at the game’s opening goal…
68 mins: Mandroiu slips Honohan through down the left.
The wing-back’s low cross narrowly evades the onrushing Noonan.
69 mins: Rovers made a change.
Dylan Watts, who was instrumental in the creation of the first goal, is replaced by Graham Burke.
The midfielder had a decent game but perhaps there is an element of caution in that change, as he picked up a booking in the first half.
71 mins: It’s Molde’s turn to make a change
Eikrem and Haugen are off
Enggard and Linnes are on.
76 mins: Rovers continue to look fairly comfortable.
The visitors have had the better of the second half and look more likely to add to their tally than concede.
The red card has turned the match on its head with Molde previously on top.
Stenevik gets booked for a late challenge on Honohan.
So far, there have been five yellow cards in this game (three for Molde) plus one red.
80 mins: Now Cleary has got booked for cynically dragging back Haugan.
That means the defender will miss the second leg.
82 mins: Another change for Rovers.
The goalscoring hero Noonan has been replaced by Aaron Greene.
It’s a debut the teenager will never forget as he has acquitted himself well in challenging circumstances on the big stage.
85 minutes: Stoppage time is not far away now.
As positive a night as it has been for Rovers, it’s been a lacklustre display from Molde.
The home side have barely created a chance of note and barring some late drama, have left themselves with an uphill task ahead of the second leg.
87 mins: Mandroiu wins the ball deep in Molde territory.
He then slips through Greene, whose low shot forces the goalkeeper to get down well and parry it away at his near post
88 mins: Rovers make another change.
Gary O’Neill replaces Matt Healy, who can be fairly happy with his competitive debut.
90 minutes: We’re into five minutes of stoppage time.
Molde are dominating possession once more but struggling to test Rovers’ defence.
90 mins: Dæhli plays a hopeful ball into the box but it goes safely into McGinty’s hands.
Only seconds remain.
FULL-TIME: MOLDE 0-1 SHAMROCK ROVERS
So that’s that.
Another impressive display from Shamrock Rovers in Europe.
It sets them up well for next week’s second leg in Tallaght, as they now look in a strong position to advance to the round of 16.
One of the main concerns for Rovers was that the loss of players like Neil Farrugia and Johnny Kenny would significantly hamper their European campaign.
However, the new players have performed with similar panache.
In particular, it was a night to remember for Michael Noonan, who looks to have a bright future ahead of him.
Stephen Bradley’s bold decision to start the 16-year-old paid off, as he was at the heart of the game’s two key incidents — causing the Molde red card and scoring the winning goal.
A stat that conveys the enormity of Noonan’s achievement…
Right, that’s all from me for now.
You can read our match report here and we’ll have plenty more reaction to follow.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
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