UEFA Champions League first round qualifier second leg
Shamrock Rovers 5
Floriana 1
(Shamrock Rovers progress 5-3 on aggregate)
SHAMROCK ROVERS EARNED an emphatic 5-1 win over Floriana to advance to the Champions League second round this evening.
Goals from Lee Grace, Dylan Watts, John McGovern, Graham Burke and Jack Byrne had turned the tie around.
Tomislav Gudelj’s effort between Rovers’ first and second goals made life more difficult for the Irish side. However, it proved to be a consolation amid a dominant display from Stephen Bradley’s side.
Rovers went into the match looking to overturn a 2-0 deficit from the clash in Malta.
The Hoops made three changes for the game. Following his World Cup exploits with Cape Verde, Roberto Lopes returned to the backline in place of Enda Stevens.
McGovern and John O’Sullivan also came into the team for Michael Noonan and Matt Healy, who was suspended following his red card in the first leg.
There were two changes for Floriana. Up front, Tomislav Gudelj replaced Kenan Dervišagić, and in midfield, Chapi Romano came in for Dunstan Vella.
Rovers went into the game with more football behind them than their opponents. Last week’s fixture was Floriana’s first competitive game of the season, with their domestic campaign not due to begin until August. In contrast, Rovers are top of the Premier Division after 25 matches.
Shamrock Rovers' Roberto Lopes ahead of the game. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
The hosts began on the front foot with Burke curling a shot from the edge of the area narrowly wide.
McGovern was then sent through by a defence-splitting pass from Byrne, but the striker’s effort was saved by the goalkeeper Guilherme Cioletti.
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But from the resulting corner, Rovers opened the scoring.
Grace rose highest from Byrne’s corner to head home and give his side the perfect start.
Floriana responded impressively with a swift counter-attack. Romano’s cross-field pass picked out Mustapha Jah and his cross found Gudelj to convert from close range.
A frantic start showed no signs of abating. Burke was played through on goal, but his shot was saved by the goalkeeper’s leg.
There was more drama midway through the first half. Owen Spiteri was deemed to have fouled McGovern in what was initially given as a free kick. There was a question mark over whether the infringement was in the area, resulting in a lengthy VAR check, with the referee going to the monitor. But the officials eventually reversed the free-kick decision and awarded a drop ball to the disappointment of all fans, except for a small contingent of around 30 Floriana supporters in the far corner of the stadium.
Yet the widespread frustration in Tallaght didn’t last long. Watts’ header from Ireland international Adam Brennan’s well-executed delivery could only be helped on its way into the net by Cioletti via the crossbar to reduce Floriana’s advantage once more.
The visitors were struggling to deal with Rovers’ speed, and there was another nervy moment for their defence before the break.
In first-half stoppage time, Byrne came close to adding a third. Receiving the ball from Brennan on the edge of the area, the former Man City youngster’s sublime curled effort hit the crossbar.
Lee Grace celebrates his goal. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
The Hoops maintained their intensity at the start of the second half and were swiftly rewarded.
Alen Kurtalić tried to cut out a low Watts cross, but McGovern reacted sharply and got to the ball ahead of the goalkeeper to finish clinically and level the tie on aggregate.
The hosts were well on top now, with John O’Sullivan, Byrne and McGovern all missing decent chances within the space of two minutes to score the all-important fourth goal.
It was an open game, though, and Floriana offered a sporadic threat on the counter-attack.
But the relentless pressure on the visitors’ goal eventually told.
Jake Mulraney played it to Burke on the edge of the area, and the 32-year-old showed brilliant skill to beat two defenders before finishing with aplomb.
The goal was Burke’s 15th in European competitions – more than any other League of Ireland player, and bringing him level on the all-time Irish list with Roy and Robbie Keane.
With 16 minutes remaining, Byrne effectively sealed Rovers’ place in the next round.
A well-worked move ended with the 30-year-old curling an unstoppable shot from the edge of the area into the top corner
Ange N’Dri blasted wastefully wide inside the area in the dying minutes, but Floriana seldom looked like rescuing the tie.
Rovers will play Ararat-Armenia in the second round next week and are now guaranteed a Conference League play-off at a minimum.
Floriana, meanwhile, drop to the second qualifying round of the Conference League and will play Kosovo side Drita.
Shamrock Rovers: 1. Ed McGinty 4. Roberto Lopes 5. Lee Grace 27. Cory O’Sullivan; 11. Jake Mulraney (Sobowale 65) 7. Dylan Watts (Razi 77) 26. John O’Sullivan (Malley 77) 19. Adam Brennan 29. Jack Byrne, 10. Graham Burke (Afolabi 77) 88. John McGovern (Noonan 77)
Subs: 25. Lee Steacy 41. Alex Noonan 3. Enda Stevens 15. Maleace Asamoah 17. Luke O’Regan 18. Jonathan Afolabi 22. Tunmise Sobowale 23. Connor Malley 28. Naj Razi 31. Michael Noonan 33. Cian Barrett 38. Max Kovalevskis
Floriana: 23. Guilherme Cioletti 21. Carlo Zammit Lonardelli 17. Owen Spiteri 4. Kauan 3. Myles Beerman 14. Alen Kurtalić 16. Chapi Romano (Vella 64) 11. Robert Murić (Dervišagić 52) 10. Federico Varela 19. Mustapha Jah 22. Tomislav Gudelj (N`Dri 71)
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Burke makes history amid Shamrock Rovers' thrilling Champions League comeback
UEFA Champions League first round qualifier second leg
Shamrock Rovers 5
Floriana 1
(Shamrock Rovers progress 5-3 on aggregate)
SHAMROCK ROVERS EARNED an emphatic 5-1 win over Floriana to advance to the Champions League second round this evening.
Goals from Lee Grace, Dylan Watts, John McGovern, Graham Burke and Jack Byrne had turned the tie around.
Tomislav Gudelj’s effort between Rovers’ first and second goals made life more difficult for the Irish side. However, it proved to be a consolation amid a dominant display from Stephen Bradley’s side.
Rovers went into the match looking to overturn a 2-0 deficit from the clash in Malta.
The Hoops made three changes for the game. Following his World Cup exploits with Cape Verde, Roberto Lopes returned to the backline in place of Enda Stevens.
McGovern and John O’Sullivan also came into the team for Michael Noonan and Matt Healy, who was suspended following his red card in the first leg.
There were two changes for Floriana. Up front, Tomislav Gudelj replaced Kenan Dervišagić, and in midfield, Chapi Romano came in for Dunstan Vella.
Rovers went into the game with more football behind them than their opponents. Last week’s fixture was Floriana’s first competitive game of the season, with their domestic campaign not due to begin until August. In contrast, Rovers are top of the Premier Division after 25 matches.
The hosts began on the front foot with Burke curling a shot from the edge of the area narrowly wide.
McGovern was then sent through by a defence-splitting pass from Byrne, but the striker’s effort was saved by the goalkeeper Guilherme Cioletti.
But from the resulting corner, Rovers opened the scoring.
Grace rose highest from Byrne’s corner to head home and give his side the perfect start.
Floriana responded impressively with a swift counter-attack. Romano’s cross-field pass picked out Mustapha Jah and his cross found Gudelj to convert from close range.
A frantic start showed no signs of abating. Burke was played through on goal, but his shot was saved by the goalkeeper’s leg.
There was more drama midway through the first half. Owen Spiteri was deemed to have fouled McGovern in what was initially given as a free kick. There was a question mark over whether the infringement was in the area, resulting in a lengthy VAR check, with the referee going to the monitor. But the officials eventually reversed the free-kick decision and awarded a drop ball to the disappointment of all fans, except for a small contingent of around 30 Floriana supporters in the far corner of the stadium.
Yet the widespread frustration in Tallaght didn’t last long. Watts’ header from Ireland international Adam Brennan’s well-executed delivery could only be helped on its way into the net by Cioletti via the crossbar to reduce Floriana’s advantage once more.
The visitors were struggling to deal with Rovers’ speed, and there was another nervy moment for their defence before the break.
In first-half stoppage time, Byrne came close to adding a third. Receiving the ball from Brennan on the edge of the area, the former Man City youngster’s sublime curled effort hit the crossbar.
The Hoops maintained their intensity at the start of the second half and were swiftly rewarded.
Alen Kurtalić tried to cut out a low Watts cross, but McGovern reacted sharply and got to the ball ahead of the goalkeeper to finish clinically and level the tie on aggregate.
The hosts were well on top now, with John O’Sullivan, Byrne and McGovern all missing decent chances within the space of two minutes to score the all-important fourth goal.
It was an open game, though, and Floriana offered a sporadic threat on the counter-attack.
But the relentless pressure on the visitors’ goal eventually told.
Jake Mulraney played it to Burke on the edge of the area, and the 32-year-old showed brilliant skill to beat two defenders before finishing with aplomb.
The goal was Burke’s 15th in European competitions – more than any other League of Ireland player, and bringing him level on the all-time Irish list with Roy and Robbie Keane.
With 16 minutes remaining, Byrne effectively sealed Rovers’ place in the next round.
A well-worked move ended with the 30-year-old curling an unstoppable shot from the edge of the area into the top corner
Ange N’Dri blasted wastefully wide inside the area in the dying minutes, but Floriana seldom looked like rescuing the tie.
Rovers will play Ararat-Armenia in the second round next week and are now guaranteed a Conference League play-off at a minimum.
Floriana, meanwhile, drop to the second qualifying round of the Conference League and will play Kosovo side Drita.
Shamrock Rovers: 1. Ed McGinty 4. Roberto Lopes 5. Lee Grace 27. Cory O’Sullivan; 11. Jake Mulraney (Sobowale 65) 7. Dylan Watts (Razi 77) 26. John O’Sullivan (Malley 77) 19. Adam Brennan 29. Jack Byrne, 10. Graham Burke (Afolabi 77) 88. John McGovern (Noonan 77)
Subs: 25. Lee Steacy 41. Alex Noonan 3. Enda Stevens 15. Maleace Asamoah 17. Luke O’Regan 18. Jonathan Afolabi 22. Tunmise Sobowale 23. Connor Malley 28. Naj Razi 31. Michael Noonan 33. Cian Barrett 38. Max Kovalevskis
Floriana: 23. Guilherme Cioletti 21. Carlo Zammit Lonardelli 17. Owen Spiteri 4. Kauan 3. Myles Beerman 14. Alen Kurtalić 16. Chapi Romano (Vella 64) 11. Robert Murić (Dervišagić 52) 10. Federico Varela 19. Mustapha Jah 22. Tomislav Gudelj (N`Dri 71)
Subs: 80. Pablo Picón 5. Gerrard Rodgers 6. Amar Drina 8. Zachary Scerri 9. Kenan Dervišagić 12. Dunstan Vella 20. Emerson Piscopo 27. Zyas Vella Newell 88. Ange N`Dri
Referee: Joakim Östling (Sweden)
Attendance: 5,466
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