Shamrock Rovers end marathon year on winning note as Honohan bids farewell

Shamrock Rovers' John McGovern celebrates scoring a goal with Roberto Lopes. Pic: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho

Shamrock Rovers 3-1 Hamrun Spartans

Shamrock Rovers knew that victory here would be too little, too late to extend their stay in Europe but Stephen Bradley wanted to pull the shutters down on an exhausting year by finishing with a little pep in the step.

Graham Burke and Danny Grant saw to that, providing the first-half ammunition to take down the Maltese champions Hamrun Spartans - who played for over 65 minutes with 10 men - before substitute John McGovern added the gloss at the death to secure Uefa’s €400,000 prize pot on the night.

Considering this was their only win of the league phase, Rovers have not scaled the heights they wanted to on this particular Conference League run but the end of the road brings with it time to reflect on a domestic show of strength having secured a first league and cup double in 38 years.

Not that Bradley intends standing still between now and the imminent return to pre-season training, judging by his programme notes where he claimed his team has not always got the respect he feels they deserve for their achievements in recent years.

Already targeting next season, Bradley wrote: “We can’t become comfortable and I really detest the word.” 

Rovers are already identifying targets on their Christmas shopping list and will venture into 2026 without their Republic of Ireland squad man Josh Honohan, whose move to Lincoln City in January was confirmed by both clubs ahead of kickoff.

This was the Hoops 55th game of yet another extended season and Burke stepped up to open the scoring from the spot and equal David McMillan’s 14-goal record for a League of Ireland scorer in Europe. Vincenzo Polito handled Dylan Watts’ shot in the box and Burke sent the goalkeeper the wrong way.

Spartans were always willing to have a go and did so with purpose once too often for Bradley’s liking, with the frustrated Rovers manager twice turning his back on the play with arms flailing after the visitors picked holes in his team’s soft cover.

And they equalised within six minutes after a number of players queued up in the box to have a pop. Mouad El Fanis and Saliou Thioune were denied by Pico Lopes and Ed McGinty in quick succession but N’Dri Philippe Koffi slashed home from six yards.

It was short-lived joy for the visitors who had their 71-time capped Malta international Joseph Mbong sent off for a challenge on Victor Ozhianvuna after 26 minutes. He raked the teenager’s shin after contesting a stray ball.

Ozhianvuna bounced back to play his part in restoring the Hoops lead in first-half injury time, setting Adam Matthews for a cross into the box that Rory Gaffney headed at goal, only for Bonello to make a fingertip save at full stretch. Burke mopped up the second ball and put it on a plate for Grant to tap home from two yards.

Rovers upped the ante thereafter and could have been out of sight midway through the second-half, with Gaffney and Burke both well positioned but unable to capitalise on a slew of chances before McGovern made his mark with the third in injury-time.

SHAMROCK ROVERS: McGinty; Cleary (Kovalevskis 60), Lopes, O’Sullivan; Matthews, Watts (Malley 72), Healy, Ozhianvuna (Greene 78), Grant; Gaffney (Kavanagh 78), Burke (McGovern 72).

HAMRUN SPARTANS: Bonello; Compri, Emerson, Polito, Micallef (Simkus 77); Mbong, Koffi (Eder 61), Garcia (Cadjenovic 45), Bjelicic, El Fanis (Coric 77); Thioune (Meijer 45).

Referee: M Radina (Czechia).