Hello and welcome along to what is a big night for Shamrock Rovers and indeed the league of Ireland.
Tonight is the first of their Group F ties in the Europa Conference group stage, as they host Djurgardens of Sweden in Tallaght.
This is the second staging of the third-tier competition and the first time an Irish side will feature, with Rovers (2011) and Dundalk (2016 and 2020) playing in the groups of the Europa League. None of the three qualified for the knockout stages of that competition, with Stephen Kenny’s Dundalk going closest in 2016.
We’ll have team line-ups for your shortly as we edge towards the 8pm kick-off so do stay with us, and let us know your thoughts on tonight’s game in the comments section below.
For those wishing to watch tonight’s game, you can catch it on Virgin Media Three with coverage commencing at 7.30pm.
Here is how Shamrock Rovers are lining out
🚨 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦 🚨
— Shamrock Rovers FC ☘️ (@ShamrockRovers) September 8, 2022
🟢 Gannon in defence
🟢 McCann in midfield
🟢 Ferizaj in attack
𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐨𝐩𝐬 ☘️#RoversInEurope pic.twitter.com/h6ADylAd2i
And here is the Djurgardens team is expected to line out
Startelvan 💪 pic.twitter.com/HZQ6cVzjqD
— Djurgården Fotboll (@DIF_Fotboll) September 8, 2022
Kick-Off! Shamrock Rovers v Djurgardens
2 mins: Shamrock Rovers 0-0 Djurgardens
Tallaght Stadium is rocking as the visitors get an early half-chance. Joel Asoro comes sniffing to get on the end of a long ball in but the Rovers can breathe a sigh of relief as they sweep the ball away.
7 mins: Shamrock Rovers 0-0 Djurgardens
Shamrock Rovers survive another danger moment. It’s a super free-kick from Eriksson as he swerves the ball in towards the back post. There’s appeals for a handball against Rovers following a header from Gustave Wikheim as the ball goes out for a corner.
They make nothing of it but they come advancing again to send the ball across the Rovers box, but again Stephen Bradley’s side are spared from conceding an early goal.
8 mins: Shamrock Rovers 0-0 Djurgardens
That’s a bit better from Rovers. They’re carrying possession into Djurgardens’ half of the field. Andy Lyons earns a corner at the end of it.
10 mins: Shamrock Rovers 0-0 Djurgardens
Early substitution for Rovers as Seán Hoare comes off with an injury. Daniel Claery comes in to replace him.
15 mins: Shamrock Rovers 0-0 Djurgardens
Another corner for Djurgardens. The goalkeeper unleashes a monster of a throw from his goal area which clears about 50 or 60 metres. Edvardsen forces the corner at the end of it.
The ball scrambles about from the opportunity but there’s no clear shot at the Rovers net and they come away with the ball again.
17 mins: Shamrock Rovers 0-0 Djurgardens
Djurgardens take back a bit of the control again, spraying passes around without much pressure from Rovers. A long ball is floated in towards Asoro but there’s just a bit too much mustard on it and it goes out for a goal kick.
22 mins: Shamrock Rovers 0-0 Djurgardens
Good save from Alan Mannus! It was Hampus Finndel who had the attempt at goal after a Chris McCann pass came to Asoro. Stunning effort from the edge of the box but the Rovers keeper collected the ball with ease.
26 mins: Shamrock Rovers 0-0 Djurgardens
Good defensive work from Rovers, particularly from the substitute Cleary, which ends in a free for Dylan Watts.
27 mins: Shamrock Rovers 0-0 Djurgardens
Another inviting free-kick from Erikkson but it’s a free out as Sabovic brushes his arm against the ball while trying to run through the Rovers cover.
27 mins: Shamrock Rovers 0-0 Djurgardens
Nice play from Greene to engineer a corner by back-heeling the ball into a Djurgardens which goes out over the end line. They do little from the kick though as the delivery is gathered easily by keeper Vasyutin.
32 mins: Shamrock Rovers 0-0 Djurgardens
Free given against Seán Gannon after dishing out a heavy tackle, but there’s no malice in it and no card follows.
35 mins: Shamrock Rovers 0-0 Djurgardens
Very nervy moment there for the hosts, and Cleary will be very relieved they got away with that. Edvardsen pounces on a defensive error and has a two-on-one but he bizarrely takes the shot too early and it’s an easy save for Mannus in the end.
Sabovic has a chance moments later from a corner, but his effort sails well over the bar. It takes a deflection on the way to result in another corner.
41 mins: Shamrock Rovers 0-0 Djurgardens
More great work from Watts to control the ball and earn another free. He’s getting on a lot of promising ball in the first half.
44 mins: Shamrock Rovers 0-0 Djurgardens
Finn concedes a free in another dangerous position as Wikheim stands over it. He whips it in high and they play it about before spreading the play back over towards Wikheim.
The ball is sent back into the box where Danielson meets with a strong header, but Mannus gathers.
Half-Time! Shamrock Rovers 0-0 Djurgardens
Shamrock Rovers 0-0 Djurgardens
And that’ll do for the first half. No major chances for either side, really. Rovers have come under pressure at times, but they’re more than holding their own in front of the home crowd.
Second Half! Shamrock Rovers 0-0 Djurgardens
50 mins: Shamrock Rovers 0-0 Djurgardens
WHAT A CHANCE!!
Rovers were so close there as Greene does brilliantly to use his body and sprint through on goal. He brings the ball past the keeper and gets a little nudge along the way but the momentum takes him too far away to get a shot off. The ball comes back to Gary O’Neill who also has a go but he can’t get the better of Vasyutin in the goal.
56 mins: Shamrock Rovers 0-0 Djurgardens
The pace of the game has dropped a bit as legs start to tire.
59 mins: Shamrock Rovers 0-0 Djurgardens
Edvardsen should have done better there with basically a free shot at goal. Good work from Finndell to create the chance as the ball is whipped across the Rovers box.
It falls beautifully for Edvardsen but he gets the connection with his left footed shot all wrong and it fizzes off wide of the post.
61 mins: Shamrock Rovers 0-0 Djurgardens
Both sides are running the bench now for one big push at getting the opening goal with just half an hour left.
65 mins: Shamrock Rovers 0-0 Djurgardens
Another huge miss for Rovers!
This time it’s Seán Gaffney who has the chance as he gets on the end of an excellent ball over the top from substitute Jack Byrne. The keeper hesitates to allow Gaffney in but the angle is a bit tight and his final product is deflected away.
Take a look at that pass from Byrne
That ball from Jack Byrne. 🎯😍@Jackb_8 | #RoversInEurope | #UECL pic.twitter.com/z0GYIqIMXl
— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) September 8, 2022
☘️ BIG CHANCE FOR ROVERS!
— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) September 8, 2022
✳️ Greene just can't a get shot off
✳️ O'Neill has his shot saved
✳️ Lyons' header saved too
Good pressure! #RoversInEurope | #UECL pic.twitter.com/T540RGSTrs
72 mins: Shamrock Rovers 0-0 Djurgardens
Watts forces another excellent save from Vasyutin after pouncing on loose possession and shooting on the turn. But the Djurgardens is equal to the effort, and he has been super for the Swedish outfit tonight.
78 mins: Shamrock Rovers 0-0 Djurgardens
Good save from Mannus and a follow up defensive intervention from Grace to keep Rovers’ net clean.
82 mins: Shamrock Rovers 0-0 Djurgardens
Into the last 10 minutes now as Byrne sends in a free-kick which Lyons directs over the bear with a header.
87 mins: Shamrock Rovers 0-0 Djurgardens
Great play from Djurgardens as they work the ball from left to right before delivering a dangerous cross which reaches the head of substitute Radetinac. He’s followed all the way and goes down as he makes contact with the ball. He screams for a penalty but the referee is not interested.
95 mins: Shamrock Rovers 0-0 Djurgardens
The visitors are really putting Rovers under pressure to get a winner. Time is almost up.
Full-Time! Shamrock Rovers 0-0 Djurgardens
Shamrock Rovers 0-0 Djurgardens
So, it’s a share of the spoils for both sides to get their campaign underway. Rovers had some great chances to steal a winner but the Swedish opposition had their opportunities to break the deadlock as well, and overall, it’s probably a fair result.
Next up is Gent away in Belgium on Thursday, 15 September.
Well that’s all from us folks. We hope you enjoyed the coverage!
That Munster team should not be losing to that Cardiff team.
@The Irish Pain: also think the team hasn’t lost it’s way since Rassie left.
@The Irish Pain: ***has
And now we see why Keatley just isn’t of a good international standard. I understand he’s playing his best rugby this season but he isn’t at a high enough level for ireland or back up 10 to sexton. He wasn’t to blame for munster losing but he was anonymous for most parts and is still prone to errors at crucial times.
@Anthony Davoren: keatley issue is playing with that moron dunc the muppet.
@Shougeki: cool the jets with the abuse.
@The Irish Pain: yeah , no need for personal abuse but the half backs, all of them bar Murray obviously are sub standard if munster have any high end ambition going forward !!
@The Irish Pain: I dont mean to demean him as a man, and apologies if it came across as abuse but he has no right to be playing professional rugby. I honestly reckon sometimes we would be better off fielding 14 than having “dunc the bunk” on the pitch. He is dreadful. Only munster player i have thought would be better of they picked a randomer from the crowd.
@Shougeki: Best Fans In The World TM (c)
@Shougeki: keatley is just simply USELESS. He wouldent even make a school team & a Coward as well
@Murf: and Shougeki: You pair are an embarrassment to your club and Irish rugby
@Shougeki: Agree totally – reminds me of Tomas O’Leary, only worse.
@Causasua: he reminds you of a player selected to tour with the Lions having been a crucial member of a Grand Slam winning side?
As long as we persevere with Williams we are going nowhere. He is clearly not up to standard which poses the question what are his connections to the top of Munster rugby????? Useless against Zebre two weeks ago and the same tonight. Wouldn’t get near the starting line up of any other pro 14 team.
Dreadful.
@Munsterman: it was worse than dreadful!!!!
10 changes didn’t help. But 9 & 10 were very poor. Keatley’s kicking was shocking in the first half. Understandable that he’s released from Carton! Williams kicked all day to absolutely no effect, apart from gifting Cardiff a try & continuously giving them back possession. Poor leadership on the pitch. Game plan did not work for 75% of the game. Our panel is v weak as shown when our internationals are away.
@Paddy Murphy: panel is strong, it’s literally our halfbacks are the problem.
@thesaltyurchin: Bleyendaal is quality but you need a better 9 than Williams or Hart for sure.
You cant win rugby matches if you have a poor 9/10 , they contributed to 14 pts by errors
We should have killed them off when they had rees in the bin. Fair duce to Williams for his contribution but seriously we definitely have better scrum halves in the munster academy. Thought he slowed the game way down which played into Cardiffs hands at a time we should have killed them. We got 1 point when 5 points were there for the taking
@Kenneth O Connor: What’s the story with James Hart? only getting 10 mins in game like this suggests he’s not rated at all
@Sean Mannion: last time he got a run he was worse than Williams. We need Strings 2.0 (kid a Connacht with a bullet pass)
@Sean Mannion: yeah, what is the story with Hart? Can anybody comment – is Willians a better option or what’s happening there?
Dreadful watching. Really unimaginative tactics and sloppy execution, still trying to maul win games, and with the same problems at 9 and 10 as 5 seasons ago its no wonder we can’t create anything outside, glad Keatley can crack a wry smile when it puts another one out on the full (are we allowed to talk about how crap he can be again now or still a no go?) at least Williams is gone at the end of the season, you could make a cup of tea in the time he has at the back of a ruc, and it’s still not enough. Ref way off on Cronin, Cardiff deserve the win tho. Least we got a losing bonus I suppose.
@thesaltyurchin: where have you seen that Williams is gone at the end of the season?
@Jim Demps: Word on the street.
@thesaltyurchin: didn’t he sign a new contract recently?
@thesaltyurchin: whats the story with james hart?
@Johnny A: Slept with the wrong persons wife presumably!
@thesaltyurchin: I thought he signed a new contract
@thesaltyurchin: Williams has a new 2 yr contract
So incredibly blunt in attack it’s ridiculous. There’s not the slightest bit of creativity there at all, which lead to them constantly kicking the ball away. No evidence of back moves or anything. Dreadful. The defense in the first half was also shocking.
Williams not good enough. Poland did well last week when he came on. Harte also not at the races. Keats is a confidence player, one wheel comes off they all come off. Not one of his better games but others didn’t cover themselves in glory either. Ref had a howler too though. Missed knock on for 1st try and awarded penalty against Cronin for a legit steal. 10 points. Did I say Williams isn’t good enough.
People need to manage their expectations a little bit. Sure we should be beating Cardiff but these blips happen in a season. Especially when you’ve changed your head coach mid season. There has been a huge amount of turmoil over the last 2 years and for me the players have been doing exceptionally well given all that has gone on. For me a successful season will be making a semi in the champions cup and the same in the pro 14. Anything beyond that will be a great season. From there van graan can build during the off season.
Duncan Williams masterclass