EVEN BEFORE A ball was kicked this was an historic night for Shamrock Rovers and Irish football.
With one instinctive prod of his foot, Michael Noonan made it even more significant.
On his Hoops debut, the forward became the club’s youngest scorer in Europe.
At 16 years and 197 days old, he is also the youngest player to find the net in this competition, as well as the modern history of Uefa club competition.
It capped an incredible night for Noonan and another confident, mature performance from Stephen Bradley’s side.
Noonan had already played a central part in a pivotal moment of the game when a burst of pace led to him being brought down by Valdemar Lund. The Molde defender was shown a straight red and Rovers had the initiative.
They never let it go and rammed it home in the second half.
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“Bring on the Bohs” the away fans roared at full time, and a trip to Aviva Stadium for the start of their League of Ireland season on Sunday is now an even more tantalising prospect.
A few days later they will be one game away from the last 16 of this competition and an incredible continuation of a European journey that began last summer.
The opening exchanges were pretty satisfactory for Bradley’s side. Molde did have more of the ball and moved it sharply in neat triangles, but it was all in front of a Rovers back three that dealt with it comfortably.
The lack of penetration in behind posed little concern. Other than one advancing run into the box from Kristian Eriksen, which resulted in a tame shot, Ed McGinty had nothing to worry about.
The Rovers goalkeeper was one of four debutants in green and white, while there were six changes in all from the starting XI that finished 2024 away to Chelsea in the league phase.
The air of unpredictability about what to expect meant a nice, calm opening was exactly what Rovers wanted.
They were able to ease themselves into this play-off tie and by the time of the drama at the end of that first half, they were already looking the better side.
Bradley spoke pre-match about how Noonan played above his years, and the 16-year-old showcased that throughout. Even before showing an impressive turn of pace to get away from the reckless Lund, the winter arrival from St Patrick’s Athletic was providing enough evidence of his ability to step up to this level.
His progress will have to be managed, of course, but some of his link-up play and hold up were crucial to allowing Rovers to sustain pressure when they did venture into the final third.
For example, on 32 minutes, it was his instant control on the edge of the box followed by another sharp touch to shield the ball from his marker that led to a layoff for Danny Mandroiu striding into the area.
He went down under the challenge of Lund and despite appeals VAR confirmed it wasn’t a penalty.
Rovers were growing in confidence and despite a minimal pre-season it was beginning to feel like they had never been away.
Matt Healy was impressive in midfield and Danny Grant was disciplined in an unfamiliar left-wing-back role. It was his foray forward five minutes before the break that allowed Dylan Watts to pull back to Mandroiu 18 yards out. The shot was deflected and easily gathered.
60 seconds later and things shifted dramatically for Molde when Lund was shown a straight red card for stopping Noonan bearing down on goal after he raced on to Watts’ sharp pass following a deft knock-down from Mandroiu which set up the counter-attack.
Roberto Lopes prodded a great chance wide from the resulting free-kick but it was not a missed opportunity that would cost them dearly.
They started the second half on the front foot and, rather than simply allow the tempo drop with comfortable possession, went about hassling the life out of their beleaguered opponents.
It was that endeavour that forced the only goal of the game. Watts, who will miss the home leg after picking up his third booking of the campaign, bundled Mats Moller Daehli off the ball in the box.
The Norway international dallied and the tackle was fair. Goalkeeper Jacob Karlstrom tried to block off the cross from Watts but he delivered it right on the toe of Noonan who showed the instincts required to be in where it hurts for a neat tap-in.
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As it happened: Molde v Shamrock Rovers, Uefa Conference League
There were 33 minutes of the half remaining and this was when Rovers’ experience — even with those new bodies — told. They were comfortable and in control, not leaving themselves exposed to the kind of counter-attacks or set pieces that a side with 10 men would rely on.
That said, Dan Cleary joined Watts in the book, which means he will also miss the Tallaght return.
When Noonan departed on 82 minutes, replaced by veteran Aaron Greene, the couple of hundred Rovers fans in the corner serenaded him with chants of ‘He’s one of our own’.
He is now, after leaving St Pat’s, and this goal also means he will be etched in the Rovers record books as their youngest scorer.
Noonan also holds that mantle in the modern European club game and if Rovers can finish the job next week they will find themselves in the last 16 when more history could be over the horizon.
Molde FK: Jacob Karlstrom; Halldor Stenevik, Isak Amundsen, Valdemar, Kristoffer Haugen (Martin Linnes 72); Mats Moller Daehli, Emil Breivik; Kristian Eriksen, Magnus Wolff Eikrem (captain) (Mads Enggard 72), Markus Kaasa (Eirik Hestad HT); Fredrik Gulbrandsen (Eirik Haugan 44).
Shamrock Rovers: Ed McGinty; Daniel Cleary, Roberto Lopes (captain), Lee Grace; Josh Honohan, Dylan Watts (Graham Burke 69), Matt Healy (Gary O’Neill 88), Aaron McEneff, Danny Grant; Danny Mandroiu, Michael Noonan (Aaron Greene 82).
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16-year-old Michael Noonan writes name in history books as Shamrock Rovers win in Molde
>Molde FK 0
Shamrock Rovers 1
EVEN BEFORE A ball was kicked this was an historic night for Shamrock Rovers and Irish football.
With one instinctive prod of his foot, Michael Noonan made it even more significant.
On his Hoops debut, the forward became the club’s youngest scorer in Europe.
At 16 years and 197 days old, he is also the youngest player to find the net in this competition, as well as the modern history of Uefa club competition.
It capped an incredible night for Noonan and another confident, mature performance from Stephen Bradley’s side.
Noonan had already played a central part in a pivotal moment of the game when a burst of pace led to him being brought down by Valdemar Lund. The Molde defender was shown a straight red and Rovers had the initiative.
They never let it go and rammed it home in the second half.
“Bring on the Bohs” the away fans roared at full time, and a trip to Aviva Stadium for the start of their League of Ireland season on Sunday is now an even more tantalising prospect.
A few days later they will be one game away from the last 16 of this competition and an incredible continuation of a European journey that began last summer.
The opening exchanges were pretty satisfactory for Bradley’s side. Molde did have more of the ball and moved it sharply in neat triangles, but it was all in front of a Rovers back three that dealt with it comfortably.
The lack of penetration in behind posed little concern. Other than one advancing run into the box from Kristian Eriksen, which resulted in a tame shot, Ed McGinty had nothing to worry about.
The Rovers goalkeeper was one of four debutants in green and white, while there were six changes in all from the starting XI that finished 2024 away to Chelsea in the league phase.
The air of unpredictability about what to expect meant a nice, calm opening was exactly what Rovers wanted.
They were able to ease themselves into this play-off tie and by the time of the drama at the end of that first half, they were already looking the better side.
Bradley spoke pre-match about how Noonan played above his years, and the 16-year-old showcased that throughout. Even before showing an impressive turn of pace to get away from the reckless Lund, the winter arrival from St Patrick’s Athletic was providing enough evidence of his ability to step up to this level.
His progress will have to be managed, of course, but some of his link-up play and hold up were crucial to allowing Rovers to sustain pressure when they did venture into the final third.
For example, on 32 minutes, it was his instant control on the edge of the box followed by another sharp touch to shield the ball from his marker that led to a layoff for Danny Mandroiu striding into the area.
He went down under the challenge of Lund and despite appeals VAR confirmed it wasn’t a penalty.
Rovers were growing in confidence and despite a minimal pre-season it was beginning to feel like they had never been away.
Matt Healy was impressive in midfield and Danny Grant was disciplined in an unfamiliar left-wing-back role. It was his foray forward five minutes before the break that allowed Dylan Watts to pull back to Mandroiu 18 yards out. The shot was deflected and easily gathered.
60 seconds later and things shifted dramatically for Molde when Lund was shown a straight red card for stopping Noonan bearing down on goal after he raced on to Watts’ sharp pass following a deft knock-down from Mandroiu which set up the counter-attack.
Roberto Lopes prodded a great chance wide from the resulting free-kick but it was not a missed opportunity that would cost them dearly.
They started the second half on the front foot and, rather than simply allow the tempo drop with comfortable possession, went about hassling the life out of their beleaguered opponents.
It was that endeavour that forced the only goal of the game. Watts, who will miss the home leg after picking up his third booking of the campaign, bundled Mats Moller Daehli off the ball in the box.
The Norway international dallied and the tackle was fair. Goalkeeper Jacob Karlstrom tried to block off the cross from Watts but he delivered it right on the toe of Noonan who showed the instincts required to be in where it hurts for a neat tap-in.
There were 33 minutes of the half remaining and this was when Rovers’ experience — even with those new bodies — told. They were comfortable and in control, not leaving themselves exposed to the kind of counter-attacks or set pieces that a side with 10 men would rely on.
That said, Dan Cleary joined Watts in the book, which means he will also miss the Tallaght return.
When Noonan departed on 82 minutes, replaced by veteran Aaron Greene, the couple of hundred Rovers fans in the corner serenaded him with chants of ‘He’s one of our own’.
He is now, after leaving St Pat’s, and this goal also means he will be etched in the Rovers record books as their youngest scorer.
Noonan also holds that mantle in the modern European club game and if Rovers can finish the job next week they will find themselves in the last 16 when more history could be over the horizon.
Molde FK: Jacob Karlstrom; Halldor Stenevik, Isak Amundsen, Valdemar, Kristoffer Haugen (Martin Linnes 72); Mats Moller Daehli, Emil Breivik; Kristian Eriksen, Magnus Wolff Eikrem (captain) (Mads Enggard 72), Markus Kaasa (Eirik Hestad HT); Fredrik Gulbrandsen (Eirik Haugan 44).
Shamrock Rovers: Ed McGinty; Daniel Cleary, Roberto Lopes (captain), Lee Grace; Josh Honohan, Dylan Watts (Graham Burke 69), Matt Healy (Gary O’Neill 88), Aaron McEneff, Danny Grant; Danny Mandroiu, Michael Noonan (Aaron Greene 82).
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