Shamrock Rovers march into second-round of Champions League - Ludogorets await 

ON THE MARCH: Rovers Roberto Lopes celebrates after the game. ©INPHO/Darrin Zammit Lupi

Uefa Champions League first qualifying round, second leg 

Hibernians Malta 0 Shamrock Rovers 0 (Shamrock Rovers win 3-0 on aggregate)

Shamrock Rovers are the first League of Ireland side for three years to leap the first hurdle of Champions League having seen off Maltese champions Hibernians.

All the legwork for their passage was expended in last week’s first leg in Tallaght, where they clocked up a resounding 3-0 lead for their trip to Valetta.

Despite having a new manager and their players further on in pre-season training, Hibernians didn’t carry the vitality or quality at the Centenary Stadium, Ta' Qali to unlock their visitors.

They could hark back to a sitter they spurned on the stroke of half-time through captain Jurgen Degabriele as pivotal to their exit but there’s no guarantee that a battle-hardened Rovers side comfortable at that stage would have collapsed thereafter.

Indeed, the unchanged team Stephen Bradley put out remained solid throughout, restricting their goalkeeper Alan Mannus to one save.

That attempt stop came deep into stoppage time – again from Degabriele – but his curling from distance was always in the eyeline of the ex-Northern Ireland international.

Hibernians appeared to apply more vigour to their tackles, several of which were red card contenders. Rovers might have had the best response to the overzealous physical challenge they were subjected to had substitute Richie Towell held his run when turning Rory Gaffney’s right-wing cross over the line. The offside call with 24 minutes left was immaterial to the outcome.

“It was a poor game but we didn’t mind that,” admitted Bradley. “After some first-half sloppiness, we managed the match well in the second half and possibly could have scored on the break.

“They put some rash tackles, so we’ve a few players with swollen knees and ankles. Hopefully, they’re not too bad.” Squad depth will be needed regardless. And, in that context, it was prudent for Bradley using the occasion to get his returning playmaker Jack Byrne on the pitch for a second-half cameo.

Graham Burke was due to join him but incurring a first-half yellow card while warming up ruled out that prospect to avoid risk of a suspension for the minimum of three European ties ahead. 

“I planned to bring Graham on but things had gone too cynical out there with him on a booking.” 

Their next tie up is the second round of the Champions League against Bulgarian champions Ludogorets, the first leg next Tuesday. 

“They’ll be a major step-up in level but this is where this group have fought to get to for the last few years,” added the Hoops boss.

Dundalk were the last team to reach that stage in 2019 after they overcame Latvian outfit Riga in a penalty shoot-out.

HIBERNIANS: I Kone, Z Grech (G Mensah 76), G Llerna (AB Laursen 84), R Soares (P Fonseca 83), Gabri (J Zerefa 68); A Attard (Thaylor 68), J Grech, A Diakite, D Vella; J Degabriele, T Groothusen.

SHAMROCK ROVERS: A Mannus; S Hoare, R Lopes, L Grace; R Finn (S Gannon 78), G O’Neill, C McCann (S Kavanagh 77), A Lyons; D Watts (J Byrne 77), R Gaffney (A Emakhu 80); A Greene (R Towell 57).

Referee: M Lukjancukas (Lithuania)