Alan Mannus delighted to have Donnarumma memento from Europa League tie

Shamrock Rovers goalkeeper Alan Mannus. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile

Alan Mannus had every confidence that Gianluigi Donnarumma would become the Euros hero after watching him first-hand last August.

The goalkeepers were at opposite ends of the Tallaght pitch when Shamrock Rovers hosted AC Milan in the Uefa Europa League, a tie the Italians won 2-0.

It might be a million miles from the spectacle of Wembley but Mannus will try to emulate the giant Italian when his Rovers side host Slovan Bratislava tonight.

Stephen Bradley’s side trail 2-0 from the first leg of the Uefa Champions League tie and they’re only still in the tie due to a late save by Mannus from Vladimir Weiss in Bratislava.

“I thought Donnarumma was brilliant against us, making some great saves from Aaron Greene, and I managed to get his jersey afterwards,” said Mannus, a veteran at 39.

“He’s one of the top goalkeepers in the world. A friend messaged me during the Euros shootout asking what I thought.

“I felt they’d save two penalties each because Donnarumma, for who he is, and I felt Jordan Pickford has the mentality of wanting to prove he can play at the highest level. They both had great tournaments.”

Rovers will need their goalkeeper to be in top form, as well as their strikers, to rescue the tie.

Last week’s penalty save wasn’t the first crucial one in Europe by Mannus as he stopped another against Flora Tallinn in 2011.

It proved to be a parting gift as Mannus moved to St Johnstone soon after while Rovers became the first side to reach the knockout stages of the Europa League.

“Ultimately, you pick a side,” the northerner said of his routine from spot-kicks.

“It’s 50-50 almost — unless they go down the middle. Last week’s save in Bratislava was my first for a while but it was nice because hopefully it gives us a chance of getting into the next round.”

If it’s not enough to spark a Rovers turnaround, then the consolation prize of a direct route into the third round of the new Europa League Conference League awaits.

But the increased attendance of 1,000 won’t be thinking of fallback scenarios when the Champions League music belts out just before kick-off.

The only experience Rovers fans have had of the anthem over the past nine years was when rivals Dundalk hosted their European matches at the Dublin venue.

“There’s more in this group than the first match and we’ll show that at home,” promised Bradley.