Rovers bank another €400,000 after Larne victory
Shamrock Rovers enjoyed a historic night in Belfast as they recorded their first every European group stage win in a comfortable 4-1 victory over their Northern counterparts Larne.
The result, which is now Rovers joint biggest away win in Europe (tied with the 3-0 win over Fram Reykjavic in 1982), leaves the hoops 10th in the UEFA Conference League table, but more importantly just three points away from the projected points total required to finish in the top 24 and progress to the first knockout round of the competition.
It also adds another €400,000 to their 2024 European winnings, which are projected to have surpassed the €5m mark. Rovers came into this European group stage game as favourites, a title almost never given to Irish teams in the group stages, but this didn’t seem to affect them at all as they started on the front foot.
Through Danny Mandroiu and Graham Burke the visitors showed tremendous composure and positivity in the early stages, and the latter would set up the opening goal of the night on three minutes as he picked up the ball just beyond the half way line and drove at the hosts defence before his deflected shot fell to Josh Honohan, who cooly slotted the ball past Rohan Ferguson.
Burke was involved again for the second after a Roberto Lopes header from a corner fell to him and he crossed on the half volley for Johnny Kenny to head home at the back post.
The former Preston North End player and Irish international again played his part in the third goal of the night as his deft flicked header from another brilliant Marcus Poom corner was helped home by Tomas Cosgrave and after a VAR check, the goal stood and Stephen Bradley’s side were in dreamland.
That goal proved to be the dagger in the game. Larne got one back following the restart through a powerful Chris Gallagher strike after some complacency from the four in a row champions, but Rovers stepped it up a gear once again and found their fourth once more through the brilliance of Burke who pounced on a Larne mistake and found the bottom left-hand corner with a cool finish.
The last half hour petered out with Bradley taking off Mandroiu and Man of the Match Graham Burke for Darragh Nugent and Conan Noonan, with Sunday certainly in mind.
The big games don’t stop for the hoops with an away trip to relegated Dundalk up next, as they aim to capitalise on any potential error from Damien Duff’s side in Tolka Park on Friday night.