Twigg starts for Hoops

Former Tottenham midfielder Rohan Ricketts was handed a start in Shamrock Rovers’ opening Europa League Group A clash with Rubin Kazan.

Ricketts was one of three changes to the side which secured the club’s passage to the group stage with a famous 2-1 victory at Partizan Belgrade, joining Conor McCormack and Stephen O’Donnell in replacing Gary McCabe, Chris Turner and Billy Dennehy.

Rubin boss Kurban Berdyev made five changes to the team which bowed out of the Champions League at the hands of Lyon, one of which saw former Newcastle and Birmingham striker Obafemi Martins come into the starting line-up.

The Hoops have already created history by booking their place in the group stages of a European competition, but manager Michael O'Neill believes that they could pull off an upset or two during their Group A campaign.

Despite having a vastly smaller budget than the rest of their opponents, O'Neill has urged his players to step up to the challenge for tonight's clash.

Shamrock Rovers: Thompson, Sullivan, Stevens, Sives, Murray, Rice, O’Donnell, Finn, McCormack, Ricketts, Twigg.

Subs: Brush, McCabe, Sheppard, Kilduff, Turner, Dennehy, Paterson.

Rubin Kazan: Ryzhikov, Bocchetti, Cesar Navas, Sharonov, Noboa, Kaleshin, Ryazantsev, Karadeniz, Natkho, Haedo Valdez, Martins.

Subs: Arlauskis, Ansaldi, Bystrov, Kasaev, Alexei Eremenko, Dyadyun, Kverkvelia.

Referee: Zsolt Szabo (Hungary)