Turner strikes as Hoops make hard work of win

AT the 15th attempt in Europe’s premier club competition, Shamrock Rovers finally registered their first victory last night but celebrations in Tallaght were tempered by the realisation that the home side had made unnecessarily hard work of beating patently inferior opposition.

Rovers even had goalkeeper Alan Mannus — who has been linked with St Johnstone — to thank for a penalty save just before Chris Turner nabbed the match-winner but, in truth, the Hoops should have been home and hosed well before the interval.

Instead, they proceeded to lose their way in the second half and their failure to trouble the scoreboard again means next Tuesday’s return leg in Estonia now looks a much trickier test.