- Luke Jordan
- Tue, Jul 16 2024
Luke Jordan reporting from Tallaght Stadium.
Ten-man Shamrock Rovers progressed to the second round of the Champions League qualifiers, thanks to a double from Johnny Kenny, as Prague awaits the League of Ireland champions.
After a goalless draw in Reykjavik, a tense affair was set up in Dublin as Stephen Bradley’s Hoops knew a win would guarantee the club over €1.7 million in European prize money.
The Hoops were forced into one change after last week’s 0-0 draw in Iceland, with Johnny Kenny returning to the eleven as Darragh Nugent dropped out following his dismissal against Vikingur.
The Icelandic outfit started brightly, winning two corners in quick succession and continuing the trend from the first leg.
However, it was the home side that took the lead in Tallaght. Dylan Watts' defence-splitting pass down the side found Johnny Kenny, who cut back inside the Vikingur defender and slotted past Ingvar Jónsson.
After a lengthy VAR check, Premier League referee Jarred Gillett pointed to the centre circle, and the goal was given to send the Hoops fans into ecstasy.
Shamrock Rovers settled into the game after the goal and grew in confidence on the ball as Jack Byrne and Watts started to cause the away side issues with their movement.
A lapse in concentration in the Vikingur defence almost caused a second goal after a horrendous back pass saw Rovers pounce. Byrne threaded a pass through the defence and found Gary O’Neill, but his indecision allowed the Vikingur defence a chance to regroup, and the opportunity went begging.
At the 20-minute mark, Rovers made it two. Watts again provided the spark for the Hoops as his dancing feet beat three opposition players. He slipped in Kenny again, who took on his man, and his deflected shot beat Jónsson again to score his second of the match.
Vikingur had more possession towards the end of the first half and won free kicks in dangerous areas around the penalty area, but the Rovers' rearguard stood strong.
At the beginning of the second half, Vikingur should have pulled a goal back. After good work down the right-hand side, they dug out a cross, and Ari Sigurpálsson somehow put the ball over the bar from within the six-yard box.
The Hoops began to invite pressure as Vikingur started to turn the screw to find a way back into the tie. That pressure told on 60 minutes as substitute Nikolaj Hansen nodded home for the visitors to make it 2-1.
Bradley freshened it up after the hour mark with the introductions of Darragh Burns and Neil Farrugia for Trevor Clarke and Aaron Greene.
Rovers looked to pick the Icelandic side on the counter and almost killed the tie when Kenny broke through once again, cut back onto his left, but this time his effort went past the post.
The Hoops lost their composure in the second half. Poor decisions and needless bookings proved costly when Jack Byrne picked up two yellow cards and was dismissed with over 15 minutes of time left.
Chants of ‘VAR’ came from the away section after a Vikingur shot hit Pico Lopes, to which they believed hit his arm, but the ball struck Lopes on the head.
The much-maligned Leon Pöhls had a couple of nervous moments throughout but made a big save on 86 minutes from a Valdimar Thór Ingimundarson low drive to keep Rovers in the lead.
It was backs against the wall for Rovers as they tried to cling on to their precious one-goal lead while Vikingur piled on late pressure to try to find the elusive equaliser.
However, there was late drama in Tallaght. Right at the death, Lopes fouled Ingimundarson in the box and, after taking a moment, Gillett pointed to the spot to the despair of the home fans. After a VAR check, the penalty was awarded.
The Vikingur goalscorer Hansen stepped up, but his spot kick hit the post and went wide to the jubilation of the Rovers fans as Gillett blew his whistle for full time.
A nervy, tense affair as predicted, but Shamrock Rovers just did enough to progress to the second qualifying round of the Champions League, where they face Sparta Prague, while crucially securing a place in the play-off round of the UEFA Conference League.
Shamrock Rovers: Léon-Maurice Pöhls; Daniel Cleary, Pico, Seán Hoare; Joshua Honohan, Jack Byrne, Gary O'Neill, Dylan Watts, Trevor Clarke (Neil Farrugia 62), Johnny Kenny, Aaron Greene (Darragh Burns 66);
Subs not used: Lee Steacy, Toms Leitis, Seán Kavanagh, Lee Grace, Cory O'Sullivan, Richard Towell, Cian Barrett, John O'Sullivan, Conan Noonan, Cian Dillon.
Booked: Trevor Clarke (38), Pico (55), Jack Byrne (56), Pico (56), Seán Hoare (59), Daniel Cleary (63), Dylan Watts (70), Jack Byrne (74).
Sent off: Jack Byrne (74).
Vikingur Reykjavik: Ingvar Jónsson; Karl Fridleifur Gunnarsson, Peter Ekroth, Gunnar Vatnhamar, Jon Gudni Fjoluson; Erlingur Agnarsson, Pablo Punyed, Ari Sigurpálsson, Helgi Gudjonsson (Nikolaj Hansen 46), Valdimar Thór Ingimundarson, Danijel Dejan Djuric (Matthías Vilhjálmsson 46);
Subs not used: Pálmi Rafn Arinbjörnsson, Sveinn Gísli Þorkelsson, Halldor Smari Sigurdsson, Davíd Örn Atlason, Gísli Gottskálk Þórðarson, Oskar Orn Hauksson, Viktor Örlygur Andrason.
Booked: Erlingur Agnarsson (68).
Sent off: None.
Referee: Jarred Gillett
Attendance: 7,632
extratime.com Player of the Match: Johnny Kenny
