Rovers take a huge step towards European group stages

Shamrock Rovers beat KF Egnatia of Albania by 3-1 in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League third qualifying round tie at Tallaght Stadium, but it could have been so much more had the home side taken their chances in a dominant second-half display.

Rovers had to be content with the win that was engineered by a Graham Burke penalty, a Pico Lopes header, and a goal by Aaron Greene from Jack Byrne's corner which gave Rovers a two-goal advantage to take to next weeks second leg in Rrogozhinë.

Under leaden skies and the distant roll of thunder, the pitch glistened as persistent rainfall soaked the ground, delivering some much-needed moisture before the game.

The home side started ex-Irish Internationals Burke, Byrne, and Enda Stevens with Will Fitzgerald, who make his debut for the club against Drogheda last Friday, also in the starting XI.

Rovers almost led in the second minute when Fitzgerald robbed a defender trying to shepherd the ball out, before Burke's one-two with Aaron Greene ended with a shot blocked by the legs of Egnatia goalkeeper Mario Dajsinani.

Dajsinani was busy in the initial stages saving a number of Burke shots as the home side exerted decent pressure.

Rovers hit the front in the 27th minutes as they were awarded a penalty when Dylan Watts was taken down heavily off the ball by Ildi Gruda. Burke confidently slotted home from the spot sending Dajsinani the wrong way.

It was Burke's 16th goal in Europe, making him the outright leading Irish goalscorer in European football, overtaking Robbie Keane.

Moments later Egnatia had a great chance to equalise when Guilherme Jaime crossed to Adjessa Daniel who missed the target with a close-range header with the home defence marked absent.

The away side were level though before the break with a penalty of their own in the 39th minute as Gruda appeared to fall over the foot of Mise Sobowale.

The referee initially ignored the away side’s pleas and Gruda was booked for complaining but VAR intervened and the Latvian referee awarded the penalty.

Jaime’s effort was saved by Ed McGinty, but he let the slippery ball fall from his grasp with Jamie quickest to the rebound, flicking in the equaliser.

The early part of the second half followed the pattern of the first, Rovers pressure, which yielded a goal in the 55th minute as Lopes headed in a Byrne corner.

Amazingly just two minutes later the Hoops got another, as, from yet another corner on the left, Byrne saw his in-swinger allowed to drop in the area by a hesitant defence with the bouncing ball diverted in by Greene at the near post.

It should have been four in the 65th minute when Burke set up Jonathan Afolabi but, with only the keeper to beat, the sub explicably even failed to hit the target when it looked easier to score.

Afolabi could not believe he didn't increase the lead and nether could the crowd.

The pressure increased.

Fitzgerald saw his first-time effort saved brilliantly on the line by Dajsinani and substitute Jake Mulraney also blazed over a really chance in area in the 71st minute.

But the fourth goal would not come as Dajsinani kept his side alive denying the Rovers onslaught.

Mulraney was inches away from scoring another as he cut in from the right wing as he beat his marker but the shot to the far post was just wide.

A win for Stephen Bradley’s side would move them into the Europa League play-off round and a match against Lillestrom of Norway, a prize that also guarantees participation in the group stages of the Conference League.

Shamrock Rovers: Ed McGinty; Olunatunmise Sobowale, Roberto Lopes © Enda Stevens: Will Fitzgerald, Dylan Watts (Danny Mandroiu 69), Matt Healy, Jack Byrne (John O’Sullivan 77), Adam Brennan (Jake Mulraney 46); Graham Burke (Najamendine Razi 69); Aaron Greene (Jonathan Afolabi 58)

Egnatia: Mario Dajsinani ©; Edison Sota, Eneo Bitri, Zamiq Aliyev (Numan Ajetovikj 69); Guilherme Jaime, Fernando Medeiros, Altin Kryeziu, Ibrahim Diabaté (Alessandro Albanese 46), Andrey Yago (Edison Ndreca 81); Adjessa Daniel Jurguens Montenegro (46), Ildi Gruda (Karim Louklli 46)

Referee: Andris Treimanis (Latvia)

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