Dramatic wins bring financial gains for Rovers and Pats

After Shamrock Rovers fantastic win against Celje in the UEFA Europa League last night the club stand to acquire a cool €3.87 million.

The Hoops’ 3-1 (3-2 on aggregate) win against NK Celje in Tallaght Stadium means they will face the Greek side PAOK in the Europa League play-off over the coming two weeks with a place in the newly formatted Europa League up for grabs.

The Tallaght side travel to play the Greek champions in Thessaloniki in the first leg of the Europa League play-off next Thursday, with the return leg in Tallaght a week later on Thursday August 29.

Should Rovers lose in the play-off to PAOK, they will secure a place in the league stage of the Conference League and bring their earnings up to a minimum of €3.87 million. The Tallaght club will also receive additional five year and ten year rankings UEFA prize money that may come to close to another €1 million.

Prize money for the league stage of the Conference League is €400,000 for a win and €133,000 for a draw.

If a club makes it out of the league stage and so qualify for the knockout round of the Conference League, the club will earn €300,000, with the round of 16 earning €1.75 million.

However, if Rovers beat PAOK, they will qualify for the league stage of the Europa League which would bring their earnings up to €4.835 million, made up of €4.31 million for making the league stage plus €175,000 per qualifying round excluding the play-off round.

In the Europa League, which involves eight matches for a qualifying club, wins earn €450,000, with €150,000 per draw.

Progression out of this league stage with qualification for the knockout round earns €300,000, with the round of 16 earning €1.75 million.

Yesterday evening in Tallaght Stadium it took a Graham Burke strike in extra-time to finally hand victory to ‘the Hoops’ over Celje.

The tie was not without controversy with the referee going to VAR to give Rovers a penalty in the first half after a challenge by the Celje goalkeeper on Graham Greene as the netminder attempted to clear the ball.

The penalty was duly dispatched by Dylan Watts, and this had a big bearing on the game according to long-time Rovers supporter, Con Cooney, Oldbawn.

“That was a huge decision, it was fabulous we had VAR,” said Con.

Rovers’ continued to pile on the pressure with Neil Farrugia finding the bottom right corner with a fantastic shot.

However, in the second half Celje found the net and so levelled the tie on aggregate thus sending the game to extra-time before Greene’s crucial goal settled the tie.

Meanwhile in Azerbaijan, St Patrick’s Athletic secured a famous win in the UEFA Conference League third qualifying round against Sabah with the Inchicore side going through 2-0 on aggregate.

Zack Elbouzedi scored the Pat’s goal thus enabling his side to reach the play-off round for only the second time in their history.

The victory also brings to the club a guaranteed minimum €1.275 million in UEFA prize money.

St Pat’s will now play Istanbul side Basaksehir at home in the first leg in Tallaght stadium next week, before heading to the Turkish capital the following week.