Shamrock Rovers take commanding 3-0 lead into second leg of Champions League tie

Ronan Finn’s first European goal sent the Hoops on their way to a first-leg rampage before Dylan Watts and Rory Gaffney hammered home their dominance

OPENER: Rovers’ Ronan Finn celebrates scoring the first goal of the game with Rory Gaffney.

Shamrock Rovers 3 (Ronan Finn 25, Dylan Watts 40, Rory Gaffney 78) Hibernians (Malta) 0 

Just 38 days after last year’s Champions League ended, Shamrock Rovers savoured their own moment of magic in the European top table by all but securing their passage into the second round.

Ronan Finn’s first European goal in his 48th appearance on 25 minutes at a packed Tallaght Stadium sent the Hoops on their way to a first-leg rampage before Dylan Watts and Rory Gaffney hammered home their dominance with goals either side of the break.

Hibernians of Malta were livid that Gaffney was still on the pitch for that killer third goal with 12 minutes left after his boot has earlier connected with the head of Gabriel Artiles. The Galway native was fortunate to only incur a booking from Danish referee Morten Krogh – the same punishment dished out to the casualty clutching his face.

Never in the history of the Champions League has an Irish side taken such a hefty advantage into the second half and, despite surviving a few scary moments early in the second half, Rovers won’t be concerned about the prospect awaiting them in Tuesday’s second leg at the Centenary Stadium in Ta' Qali, Malta.

Rovers were rampant from the off, with a litany of chances spurned before Finn arrived at the back post to sweep home Gaffney’s cross from the left.

The same corridor provided the second five minutes before the break. Finn and Gaffney were centrally involved again, slipping in Dylan Watts’ side-footer to find the bottom corner from eight yards.

Twice the decimated visitors struck the woodwork shortly after the restart. Substitute Terrence Groothusen raced clear to clip the crossbar before Thaylor somehow contrived to hit the post rather than the net when he brushed past Lee Grace to head goalward.

Rovers made them pay with a third. More intricate play dissected the Maltese, with Gaffney haring clear from substitute Aidomo Emakhu’s backheel to keep his cool and slot the ball into the far corner.

Barring a capitulation next week, up next for Rovers is likely to be Bulgarian champions Ludogorets, who overcame Sutjeska 2-0 in their first-leg fixture contested tonight.

SHAMROCK ROVERS: A Mannus; R Lopes, S Hoare, L Grace; R Finn (R Towell 80), G O’Neill, C McCann, D Watts (S Gannon 81), A Lyons; R Gaffney (J Ferizaj 85), A Greene (A Emakhu 67).

HIBERNIANS: I Kone; Z Grech (L Caruana 90), L Bravo, R Soares, G Artiles, J Zerafa (L Soares Fonseca 90); Thaylor (A Attard 81), D Vella, A Diakite, G Mensah (T Groothusen 46); J Degabriele.

REFEREE: Morten Krogh (DEN).

Attendance: 7019.