SHAMROCK ROVERS were left to rue a couple of costly individual errors, both tonight and in the first leg, as they exited Europe at the hands of Flora Tallinn after their Europa Conference League play-off second leg.
Rauno Sappinen scored the game’s only goal, a powerful strike just before the hour mark, to earn the Estonian side what proved to be an insurmountable three-goal aggregate advantage.
Rovers had a couple of bright moments over the course of the 90 minutes, but ultimately did not do enough in the final third and were beaten by the better team over the two legs as a place in the competition’s group stages — and the significant financial boost that would have entailed — eluded them.
The Hoops trailed 4-2 from the first leg but were boosted ahead of kick-off by the increase of the permitted capacity at Tallaght Stadium from 1,500 to 3,500.
Rovers made two changes to the starting XI from their last meeting with Flora. Danny Mandroiu and Aaron Greene came into the team, while Richie Towell and Rory Gaffney dropped to the bench.
The visitors, meanwhile, made just one alteration from the first leg, with Marten Kuusk replacing Henrik Purg in defence.
After a scrappy opening, Rovers had the game’s first half-chance in the 12th minute. Dylan Watts found Aaron Greene with a lovely long pass and the attacker fired just wide from a tight angle.
A spell of pressure from the home side ensued, as both Ronan Finn and Graham Burke tested the opposition goalkeeper Matvei Igonen with shots from outside the area.
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In the 22nd minute, Watts picked out Burke with an incisive through pass but no one could get a proper connection on the attacker’s dangerous low cross.
The hosts were given a warning five minutes later. Sappinen escaped the attention of Roberto Lopes, but his finish from a tight angle was comfortably saved by Alan Mannus.
Rovers were dealt a blow just after the half-hour mark. With Lee Grace unavailable for the tie, another centre-back, Sean Hoare, had to depart the action injured, with Sean Gannon coming on in his place.
James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
Flora finished the opening 45 strongly, and Roberto Lopes did well to block a goalbound Konstantin Vassiljiev shot out for a corner.
The beginning of the second period was frustratingly stop-start from a Rovers perspective.
Gannon was booked for a rash sliding challenge while Henrik Ojamaa also saw yellow for a cynical foul moments later.
Rovers gradually began to increase the pressure on the Flora goal. Liam Scales was looking lively and his powerful low cross was deflected out for a corner.
Yet out of nothing on 57 minutes, Flora broke swiftly, as they had done so effectively in the first leg. Vassiljiev played it to Sappinen, whose powerful low shot on the edge of the area crept under the body of Mannus and into the net. The 39-year-old goalkeeper didn’t have much to do during the game and will feel he should have done better with that strike.
With the Premier Division side now trailing by three goals on aggregate, Bradley responded by taking off Mandroiu, who had given the ball away in the build-up to the goal, and introducing Towell.
Shortly thereafter, an attacking change saw Gaffney brought on in place of Watts.
Though clearly deflated, Rovers did not give up. Scales got on the end of a Graham Burke corner, but could not direct his attempt goalwards.
With 15 minutes remaining, Lopes headed over from another Burke set piece.
As the game entered its dying stages, Rovers had their best chance yet. A dangerous cross broke kindly for Towell, but Igonen did well to block the midfielder’s strike from close range.
There was also time for Scales, Rovers best performer on the night, to force a good save from Igonen with a header, as Flora held on for a clean sheet,.
The home crowd’s frustration was palpable, though they kept singing defiantly until the end, as ultimately, a European campaign that featured some memorable moments for the Hoops and Irish teams in general, ended in an anti-climactic fashion.
Shamrock Rovers: 1. Alan Mannus 28. Joey O’Brien 3. Sean Hoare (Gannon 33) 4. Roberto Lopes 15. Liam Scales 8. Ronan Finn 7. Dylan Watts (Gaffney 62) 16. Gary O’Neill 14. Danny Mandroiu (Towell 59) 10. Graham Burke 9. Aaron Greene.
Subs: 25. Leon Pohls 2. Sean Gannon 24. Max Murphy 26. Chris McCann 17. Richie Towell 20. Rory Gaffney 29. Dylan Duffy.
Flora Tallinn: 32. Matvei Igonen 25. Ken Kallaste (Lukka 82) 43. Markkus Seppik 2. Marten Kuusk 27. Michael Lilander 10. Martin Miller 28. Markus Soomets 14. Konstantin Vassiljiev 8. Henrik Ojamaa (Alliku 74) 20. Sergei Zenjov 11. Rauno Sappinen.
Subs: 31. Karl-Romet Nõmm 33. Evert Grünvald 7. Sten Reinkort 4. Marco Lukka 9. Rauno Alliku 16. Erko Jonne Tõugjas 21. Rocco Robert Shein 23. Henri Välja 26. Kristo Hussar 35. Markus Poom 54. Danil Kuraksin.
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Shamrock Rovers left frustrated as European adventure ends
Shamrock Rovers 0
Flora Tallinn 1
(Flora advance 5-2 on aggregate)
SHAMROCK ROVERS were left to rue a couple of costly individual errors, both tonight and in the first leg, as they exited Europe at the hands of Flora Tallinn after their Europa Conference League play-off second leg.
Rauno Sappinen scored the game’s only goal, a powerful strike just before the hour mark, to earn the Estonian side what proved to be an insurmountable three-goal aggregate advantage.
Rovers had a couple of bright moments over the course of the 90 minutes, but ultimately did not do enough in the final third and were beaten by the better team over the two legs as a place in the competition’s group stages — and the significant financial boost that would have entailed — eluded them.
The Hoops trailed 4-2 from the first leg but were boosted ahead of kick-off by the increase of the permitted capacity at Tallaght Stadium from 1,500 to 3,500.
Rovers made two changes to the starting XI from their last meeting with Flora. Danny Mandroiu and Aaron Greene came into the team, while Richie Towell and Rory Gaffney dropped to the bench.
The visitors, meanwhile, made just one alteration from the first leg, with Marten Kuusk replacing Henrik Purg in defence.
After a scrappy opening, Rovers had the game’s first half-chance in the 12th minute. Dylan Watts found Aaron Greene with a lovely long pass and the attacker fired just wide from a tight angle.
A spell of pressure from the home side ensued, as both Ronan Finn and Graham Burke tested the opposition goalkeeper Matvei Igonen with shots from outside the area.
In the 22nd minute, Watts picked out Burke with an incisive through pass but no one could get a proper connection on the attacker’s dangerous low cross.
The hosts were given a warning five minutes later. Sappinen escaped the attention of Roberto Lopes, but his finish from a tight angle was comfortably saved by Alan Mannus.
Rovers were dealt a blow just after the half-hour mark. With Lee Grace unavailable for the tie, another centre-back, Sean Hoare, had to depart the action injured, with Sean Gannon coming on in his place.
Flora finished the opening 45 strongly, and Roberto Lopes did well to block a goalbound Konstantin Vassiljiev shot out for a corner.
The beginning of the second period was frustratingly stop-start from a Rovers perspective.
Gannon was booked for a rash sliding challenge while Henrik Ojamaa also saw yellow for a cynical foul moments later.
Rovers gradually began to increase the pressure on the Flora goal. Liam Scales was looking lively and his powerful low cross was deflected out for a corner.
Yet out of nothing on 57 minutes, Flora broke swiftly, as they had done so effectively in the first leg. Vassiljiev played it to Sappinen, whose powerful low shot on the edge of the area crept under the body of Mannus and into the net. The 39-year-old goalkeeper didn’t have much to do during the game and will feel he should have done better with that strike.
With the Premier Division side now trailing by three goals on aggregate, Bradley responded by taking off Mandroiu, who had given the ball away in the build-up to the goal, and introducing Towell.
Shortly thereafter, an attacking change saw Gaffney brought on in place of Watts.
Though clearly deflated, Rovers did not give up. Scales got on the end of a Graham Burke corner, but could not direct his attempt goalwards.
With 15 minutes remaining, Lopes headed over from another Burke set piece.
As the game entered its dying stages, Rovers had their best chance yet. A dangerous cross broke kindly for Towell, but Igonen did well to block the midfielder’s strike from close range.
There was also time for Scales, Rovers best performer on the night, to force a good save from Igonen with a header, as Flora held on for a clean sheet,.
The home crowd’s frustration was palpable, though they kept singing defiantly until the end, as ultimately, a European campaign that featured some memorable moments for the Hoops and Irish teams in general, ended in an anti-climactic fashion.
Shamrock Rovers: 1. Alan Mannus 28. Joey O’Brien 3. Sean Hoare (Gannon 33) 4. Roberto Lopes 15. Liam Scales 8. Ronan Finn 7. Dylan Watts (Gaffney 62) 16. Gary O’Neill 14. Danny Mandroiu (Towell 59) 10. Graham Burke 9. Aaron Greene.
Subs: 25. Leon Pohls 2. Sean Gannon 24. Max Murphy 26. Chris McCann 17. Richie Towell 20. Rory Gaffney 29. Dylan Duffy.
Flora Tallinn: 32. Matvei Igonen 25. Ken Kallaste (Lukka 82) 43. Markkus Seppik 2. Marten Kuusk 27. Michael Lilander 10. Martin Miller 28. Markus Soomets 14. Konstantin Vassiljiev 8. Henrik Ojamaa (Alliku 74) 20. Sergei Zenjov 11. Rauno Sappinen.
Subs: 31. Karl-Romet Nõmm 33. Evert Grünvald 7. Sten Reinkort 4. Marco Lukka 9. Rauno Alliku 16. Erko Jonne Tõugjas 21. Rocco Robert Shein 23. Henri Välja 26. Kristo Hussar 35. Markus Poom 54. Danil Kuraksin.
Referee: Tamás Bognár (Hungary)
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