David Sneyd

HARDCORE PLANESPOTTERS WOULD have been in their usual spots around Dublin Airport this morning.

For those wanting to get a glimpse of the Czech Airlines Airbus A220, it took off just before 9.30am with the Shamrock Rovers squad on board.

Destination: Prague.

The opening game of their third Uefa Conference League campaign in four years kicks off tomorrow in Sparta’s 18,900-capacity Letná Stadium.

As Stephen Bradley and his players filtered into Terminal 1 prior to their 7am check-in, a fraction of the 920 supporters travelling who were also on the charter club’s flight took part in a bit of Sextonspotting.

The day before it emerged that Johnny Sexton, a hero of Irish rugby, was at the Rovers training ground for an inside look at their preparations.

He continues his own coaching education and, as Keith Andrews revealed to The 42 last week, Sexton also spent two days with his Brentford squad last month. Yesterday he was side by side with his trusted advisor, the Shamrock Rovers independent chairman Ciaran Medlar who was part of the travelling party this morning.

Some fans wondered if Sexton would be too, joking if he’d get a free seat on the plane or have to pay his own way. These questions were answered when it became clear that he was not part of Bradley’s support staff. It is an indication of how far Rovers – and the League of Ireland – have come under Bradley’s guidance that such a visit made total sense.

Tomorrow’s challenge is a stringent one against a Sparta side that are top of the Czech league and have won all five of their home games.

To get here, Rovers have already needed to etch a bit more history into their European story by becoming the first League of Ireland squad to reach the group/league phase without the benefit of the champions’ path through the qualifying rounds.

That is because Shelbourne – who welcome Swedish side BK Hacken to Tallaght Stadium tomorrow – deposed Rovers as champions on the final night of the 2024 season by winning away at Derry City.

Hoops defender Daniel Cleary was suspended for their own game that evening – a win at home to Waterford – and recalls sitting in Tallaght Stadium beside teammate Daniel Mandroiu watching events unfold in front of him while also streaming the Shels game on his phone.

Dan Cleary (left) in training yesterday. Nick Elliott / INPHO Nick Elliott / INPHO / INPHO

“It wasn’t a nice feeling,” the centre back says. “They deserved to win it over the course of the season. It definitely hurt, but all in all, we knew we didn’t reach that level last year consistently enough to deserve to win the league.

“Number one this year was winning the league. Before anything, before Europe, before the FAI Cup, we wanted to win the league.”

Rovers boarded this flight as champions-elect – a fifth title in six seasons – after beating Bohemians in their Dublin derby on Friday. Derry’s 1-1 draw away in Drogheda simply delayed the inevitable as with four games remaining for the Candystripes they can only equal Rovers’ points tally of 63, and they also have a far inferior goal difference.

Bradley allowed his squad celebrate after the win over Bohs, not just on the pitch in front of supporters but with a team night out together to savour the moment.

“As you get older, obviously a lot of the lads have experienced success, where sometimes you don’t get to enjoy it. I think those moments are very important, as a squad and as a group. You can find yourself just rolling on, rolling on, rolling on through your career.”

Today’s date, 1 October, is an important one in Cleary’s own career. He scored for Dundalk at Aviva Stadium during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 to help the Lilywhites beat KI Klaksvík 3-1 and reach the group stages of the Europa League.

The Dubliner turns 30 next March and should reach a milestone of 50 appearances in Europe during this Conference League campaign – he’s currently on 46 with 19 of those coming in group/league phase between that achievement with Dundalk and two forays into this competition with the Hoops.

It was only last summer, during the Champions League qualifying stages, that Rovers last faced Sparta Prague. A comprehensive 6-2 aggregate defeat provides a clear indication of the challenge once again facing them against a side that finished 31st out of 36 in last season’s Champions League.

The hosts have a different head coach to the one who was in charge last year, although Brian Priske has returned for his second spell in charge having left for Feyenoord only to be sacked in February.

Cleary rued a couple of sloppy goals conceded against these opponents previously out and, as their qualifying route has shown, Rovers continue to blossom through their shared European experiences. Victory over Santa Clara – fifth in Portugal’s top flight last season – illustrated their ability to deal with a setback away from home only to quickly regroup and bring a 2-1 lead to Dublin.

In Tallaght, Rovers were able to nullify the visitors for large parts and, when required, goalkeeper Ed McGinty was on hand to make one super save.

“We’ve been much more prepared this time. Big European nights away have helped us. I think the squad is more prepared this year,” Cleary says.

“We enjoy the task of [these games]. We feel more confident as ourselves in a group that we can go and actually get results. As we did last year. And we think that will stand as well this year. The squad is stronger this year than it was last year.”

Rovers are due to land back in Dublin at around 3.30 in the early hours of Friday morning. A FAI Cup semi-final with First Division Kerry FC awaits in Tallaght on Sunday. Their European adventure is just taking off as matters at home reach a memorable crescendo.

“Hopefully by the last week before Christmas we’ve done something special. That would be to qualify for the next round [in the Conference League] and win the FAI Cup. That’s our target.”