Boss Kenny backs Twigg to make big splash in Europe

Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Kenny is backing striker Gary Twigg to end his scoring drought in Europe against FK Ekranas at Tallaght Stadium tonight.

With the Lithuanian champions unbeaten at home in their last five European games, Kenny will hope Twigg scoring comes hand in hand with a win to take into next week’s second leg as Rovers aspire to replicate last year’s historic run in Europe.

While Scot Twigg has scored 15 goals in the league this season — and been the club’s top scorer in each of the last three seasons — he has failed to score in his 15 appearances in Europe.

Double winners in the last two years and champions four years running, Ekranas have dominated Lithuanian football in recent times. They have lost just once in 19 games this season and are six points clear at the top of their league.

But they have arrived in Dublin weakened by having had to release their leading scorer, Andrius Velicka, along with fellow Lithuanian internationals, midfielders Mantas Savenas and Ramunas Radavicius, due to financial difficulties.

Yesterday, Kenny was keen to put Rovers’ inconsistent league form to one side and focus on tonight’s tie instead.

“This is a different competition, this is the Champions League,” said Kenny.

“Shamrock Rovers are a tremendous club and want to represent Ireland well. The players have had a good deal of experience last season in Europe and we want that to have a positive effect.

“We’re unbeaten at home all season and we want to remain unbeaten. We want to try to win the game, if we can.”

And that’s where Kenny hopes Twigg can come in.

“There is a lot of talk that [Twigg] hasn’t scored in Europe, but he is well capable of doing that. For whatever reason that hasn’t happened, but I’m backing him to come good [tonight] and do the business for us in European competition.

“They are the seeded team and are ranked higher than us. But we certainly don’t have an inferiority complex. We’d be looking to try to win the game.”

Captain Ken Oman will be fit to start despite the central defender sitting out training yesterday with a slight dead leg. Strikers Aaron Greene (knee) and Ciaran Kilduff (foot) remain out injured.

SHAMROCK ROVERS (probable): Jansson; Sullivan, Sives, Oman, Powell; Rice, Finn; McCabe, Brennan, Dennehy; Twigg.