Shamrock Rovers 0
Djurgardens 0
SHAMROCK ROVERS’ DEBUT in the Europa Conference League ended in a goalless draw with Swedish side Djurgarden at Tallaght Stadium, a night to prove that while Rovers won’t be given anything easily in this group, they won’t be playing the role of generous opponents, either.
Rovers might have won this game with one of a few chances they carved out in the second-half, but Djurgardens spurned a glorious chance in the first-half and Rovers ended the game looking jaded.
All of Jack Byrne, Rory Gaffney and Graham Burke started on the bench as Stephen Bradley opted to sacrifice some stardust for solidity from the start, with Dylan Watts and teenager Justin Ferizaj starting ahead of Gary O’Neill and Chris McCann in midfield as Aaron Greene led the line. Djurgardens, meanwhile, rotated their starting team by swapping in their second-choice goalkeeper, and replaced key defensive midfielder Rasmus Schuller with the more attacking Besard Sabovic.
Sabovic was a threat from the edge of the box, and he saw an early shot blocked in the penalty area by Gary O’Neill. Djurgardens started with an intensity that initially threw Rovers, though they slowly clawed their way to an even-footing thanks largely to Chris McCann’s assurance in midfield. But their passing was blunted as they got toward the Djurgardens box, struggling for penetration and too often resorting to long balls in behind which Greene chased gamely but fruitlessly.
Rovers lost Sean Hoare to injury after only 11 minutes and his replacement Dan Cleary veered on the precipice off a nightmare when he fell over the ball and in stages under no pressure midway into his own half. Striker Victor Edvardsen pounced on the loose ball, but inexplicably elected not to play a simple pass to Asoro on his outside, instead shooting tamely at Alan Mannus from a needlessly long range.
It was early in the second half when one of those Rovers’ balls over the top did work, thanks to some timorous defending. Piotr Johansson left his back-pass much too short, allowing Greene nab possession. Greene went wide of the goalkeeper – too wide – but held possession and fed it back to Watts, whose shot was saved brilliantly by Vasyutin. Now it was Rovers’ tempo that threatened to overwhelm, and Djurgardens reacted on the hour mark with a quadruple sub, beefing up the midfield by introducing Schuller among them.
Rovers, however, sent for the cavalry, and on came Byrne, Gaffney, and Sean Kavanagh. Byrne’s influence was instantly apparent, dropping a beautiful pass over the top of the Djurgardens defence for Gaffney, whose shot was blocked by an initially flustered goalkeeper. Neil Farrugia then replaced Finn – making a LOI record 55th European appearance – and tore down the right wing to stir havoc in the Djurgardens box, with a bout of pinball ending in Vasuytin blocking Watts’ snapshot from close range.
Those chances thwarted, the closing quarter became an exercise in survival. The loud travelling fans howled for a penalty when Haris Radetinac went to ground in the box after a tangle with Lyons, with the referee unmoved and no VAR in operation to offer a reprieve. Rovers were rattled, however, struggling to hold onto the ball and Grace was forced into a perfect tackle in the penalty area after a sloppy give-away. Bradley could hardly hide his frustration on the touchline at a succession of long balls and a press that became ragged and misaligned.
His side held on, however, and this was an opening-night to show that Rovers’ ambitions of qualifying from the group are by no means far-fetched.
Shamrock Rovers: Alan Mannus; Sean Gannon, Sean Hoare (Dan Cleary, 11′), Lee Grace; Ronan Finn (captain) (Neil Farrugia, 69′); Chris McCann (Sean Kavanagh, 60′), Gary O’Neill, Dylan Watts; Andy Lyons; Justin Ferizaj (Jack Byrne, 60′), Aaron Greene (Rory Gaffney, 60′)
Djurgardens: Aleksandr Vasyutin; Piotr Johansson, Marcus Danielson, Hjalmar Ekdal, Pierre Bengtsson (Elias Andersson, 60′); Besard Sabovic, Hampus Finndell (Emmanual Banda, 60′), Magnus Eriksson (captain) (Rasums Schuller, 60′) Joel Asoro (Haris Radetinac, 60′), Victor Edvardsen, Gustav Wikheim (Amadou Doumbouya, 90+5′)
Referee: Ivar Orri Kristjansson (ISL)
Attendance: 6,330
I say this without jest, but it must be difficult to be humble when you’re only a short time from having your statue placed in Lansdowne Rd.
Yes you were a team player Brian. And you always made us feel like we were on that team too. A gent. Enjoy your retirement.
He Sounds a bit needy to me ..
I want / i want .
Wouldn’t it actually be cool if Ireland won the Championship in Paris at the very stadium where he made his name? It really is one of those stories, that the book of Brian opened in Paris, so shall it close in Paris.
What a player! :’)
Love this script
He might not be sentimental but I am.
I hope every man, woman and child gives him a send off to remember on Saturday.
He deserves it.
I think I’m going to avoid all rugby media between now and the end of the 6N. All these “Bye Bye Bod” stories are making me sad… :(
It’ll be a bit sad before and after the match on Saturday but there will be zero sentiment during the game, especially from the legend himself. I’m sure he’ll give everything to the cause as he has done throughout his brilliant career. Right up there with the greats in rugby worldwide. Good luck in the future BOD
Got my tickets for Saturday bitter,sweet seeing his last game there, he has given me best sporting memories of my life. Hope we win and send him to Paris with a chance of the championship. Thanks BOD
A true Irish Legend. And he’s not even from Cork!! ;) Thanks for the memories Brian.
The greatest irish sports star of all time.
He was not such a team player when he stopped in the georgia world cup game to roar at stringer for a bad pass.
Still a great player though.
nobody saying the man is perfect ted. that was out of frustration, the team went in talking of winning the world cup and played rubbish the whole competition
In his whole time with Ireland that’s the best you can do ted?
Sad ted sad.
Don’t worry you won’t have to watch him much longer, two more games for Ireland and a few for Leinster that’s all.
I’ll tell you one thing ted he’ll pick up another medal at least before then so if I was you I’d find a desert island somewhere and get stranded until June because this will torment you. L
I wonder which part of Ireland ted hails from?petty little man
I couldn’t possibly guess even!
As i said bod is a great player. One of the best irish players of all time.
However he was guilty one of the least teamplayer (?) acts I have seen from any Irish player in an Irish jersey.
I just found it ironic that he used that description.
It was seven years ago. And over the course of the fifteen years he has saved ireland many times.
Ted do you think he should’ve clapped stringer on the back told him don’t worry about it it’s only a game.but try not to do it again old chap?
Possibly he could have tried to chase down the georgian before he scored he try.
He could even have been a team player and accepted that everyone makes mistakes and that his experienced team mate would have been far more pissed off with the mistake.
Bod has always given his all for Ireland. And I would defend him on his talent, his dedication, his daft ability to put his body on the line and just about every other aspect of his career.
But for me, his teamwork will always be tainted for roaring at and blaming a teammate while an opponent ran in a try.
Ted let it go buddy it was a long time ago
No idea whether he was a team player or not, kind of difficult to tell as a spectator. He went through a string of piss poor performances during the tubby Glenda years, was never ever pulled up by his teammates for the many flicks & kicks to nowhere (Schmidt only touched on that recently) but first onto his teammates if opposite occurs. someone with his gravitas & authority within the game can damage any team ethic, especially when off-form in his own right. Still the greatest of this generation, but clearly acutely aware of it too…
Pretty much exactly what he should’ve done
Without a doubt our greatest sportsman ever. Thanks for all the memories and best of luck for the future! (He might read this).
In the 13th minute #onemoreyear again!
Time to move on.
You will be remembered as a genius, tough shit!!!!
Looking forward to him excelling in his last 2 matches, hope he runs in a hat trick in Paris :)
A sporting legend and a gent….great combination! Enjoy your retirement it’s well deserved.
National Treasure
Terrible movie
And YOU WILL be
And thats all he was, no one man is bigger than the team
A national hero and treasure, there are not enough plaudits for you sir