Only twice in the club’s 125-year history had they previously secured European group stage football, but 2024 has now been added to that list after an enthralling extra-time victory over Slovenian champions NK Celje.
History made. The first time Rovers have done it on home soil. Conference League group stage football secured, and a Europa League play-off in the bag. A guaranteed €3.8million in UEFA prize money. Hoops supporters, get the passports ready for this winter.
Rovers now face Greek champions PAOK for a spot in the Europa League (first-leg away), with Conference League football guaranteed regardless.
With a 1-0 deficit to overturn, Rovers struck twice in four minutes to give themselves the advantage, as Dylan Watts’ cool first-half penalty was closely followed by Neil Farrugia’s spectacular long-range strike. Farrugia, Watts and Rovers skipper Roberto Lopes in particular produced performances for the ages.
A late goal by Slovinian international Zan Karnicnik took the tie to extra-time, before super substitute Graham Burke struck the all-important winner to lift the roof off Tallaght Stadium, while Darragh Burns’ insurance strike was ruled offside by VAR.
Stephen Bradley’s men had two excellent chances to add another goal before Celje’s leveller through Trevor Clarke and Josh Honohan, but they got over the line in the end to cap off a truly special evening for the League of Ireland, after Stephen Kenny’s St Patrick’s Athletic got the job done in Baku to secure a Conference League play-off.
After a poignant minute’s silence for the late Jim McLaughlin, who famously led the Hoops to three consecutive league titles in the 1980s, the hosts started on the front foot.
With former Rovers men Gavin Bazunu and Danny Mandroiu among the 6,153-strong crowd, ex-Ireland Under-21 cap Farrugia attempted to find Aaron Greene early on, but the through ball was mistimed, as 25 travelling Celje supporters dressed in black t-shirts made their voices heard.
The visitors, managed by former Spain and Liverpool player Albert Riera soon settled though, as Armandas Kucys was denied a sight of goal by an excellent block from Lee Grace, who came into the Rovers’ starting XI, Bradley’s only change from last week’s first-leg.
Greene made a decisive impact on 37 minutes as, when running onto a long ball, Celje’s 19-year-old goalkeeper Lovro Stubljar came off his line to punch it clear but instead, smashed into the Rovers striker inside the box.
The Romanian referee initially signalled for a free out, before VAR advised him to consult the pitchside monitor. Tallaght waited with bated breath and rejoiced when he pointed to the spot. Watts stepped up, sent the ‘keeper the wrong way and dispatched the spot kick with aplomb.
The ground erupted again when barely four minutes later, Farrugia embarked on another excellent marauding run, jinking past a pair of blue and yellow shirts with ease. With a quick glance up, the winger found the bottom corner with a truly brilliant strike from 25 yards. For the first time in this round, it was advantage Rovers.
That one-goal lead should have been two soon after as, seconds before the interval, Farrugia squared to Clarke but the wing-back was denied his first European goal by a superb close-range stop from Celje’s number one.
Slovenian international Karnicnik levelled the tie seven minutes from time with a fine volley at the back post, and things could have gone from bad to worse seconds later as Grace was required to clear an effort off the line, as the tie entered extra-time.
Six minutes in, Burke picked up possession near the halfway line, strode forward and found the net from just outside the box. It may have been a gift from Celje’s young ‘keeper, but Tallaght didn’t care. The Irish capped striker had his ninth European goal as the tie swung back in Rovers’ favour.
Burns saw his goal ruled out for offside on 106 minutes, but Rovers held strong to see the tie out. The full-time whistle sparked an outpouring of pure relief and joy. For the second time in three seasons, Rovers had done it.
“I would say we are better than the opponent,” claimed a confident Riera on the eve of this second-leg. They were made to work for it, but here Rovers did their talking on the pitch to make it a special night in Dublin 24.
Shamrock Rovers: Pohls; Honohan (O’Sullivan 110), Grace, Lopes, Hoare, Clarke (Cleary 80); Watts, O’Neill; Nugent (Towell 80), Farrugia (Burke 88); Greene (Burns 91).
NK Celje: Stubljar; Vuklisevic, Zec, Nemanic (Karnicnik 46); Brnic (Menalo 46), Kvesic (Aarons 104), Bobicanec (Dulca 46), Kavcic; Matko (Edmilson 79), Kucys, Pisek (Kouter 53).
Ref: Ovidiu Hategan (Romania).
