Danny Grant has a go for Shamrock Rovers in Tallaght Stadium on Thursday night. Photos by George Kelly
Rovers bank over €4m in Europe this year
Shamrock Rovers hosted Hamrun Spartans in their final European game of the season on Thursday evening.
The side banked over €3.7 million for their campaign in the league phase of the Conference League with that number reaching over the €4 million mark in total when taking into account the qualifiers.
Although Rovers were unable to qualify for the play-off round following the defeat the week previous in Iceland, pride was not the only thing to play for as Conference League prize money was still on offer should they get a win, €400,000 being the winner bonus.
The first half saw plenty of errors from both teams, though admittedly there were moments of quality throughout.
Particularly through the first 20 minutes of the game action was end to end with both keepers being called into action on multiple occasions.
Rovers would be the first to get the ball in the back of the net as Graham Burke converted a penalty in the 13th minute which he had won himself.
Players battle for possession during the Conference League match in Tallaght Stadium
This spell in front did not last for long however as Hamrun found themselves level only minutes later after McGinty was finally unable to keep the ball out of the net following several solid saves.
What would prove to be a turning point in the game occurred in the 25th minute as Victor Ozhianvuna from Tallaght was brought down by a reckless challenge from a Hamrun Spartans player with the offender receiving a red card.
Despite initially having the advantage in numbers Rovers failed to capitalise in the immediate aftermath of the dismissal and for the remainder of the half both teams produced fairly sloppy play with the game lacking the intensity that had characterised the first 20 minutes,
Rovers would find a way though and in added time in the first half would finally get their noses in front once again as Danny Grant put them 2-1 ahead following an excellent team move.
The second half would see Rovers firmly take control of the game and they should have scored a rake of goals.
An excellent performance from Hamrun’s keeper as well as sub par finishing prevented goals from Rory Gaffney, Graham Burke and Danny Grant.
It would be substitute John McGovern who finally got the ball in the back of the net again in the 83rd minute leaving no doubt as to who was going to win the match securing Rovers that performance bonus of €400,000 in the process.
Stephen Bradley spoke on the match after the game, the European campaign as a whole as well as his own future career plans.
“The performance was okay, parts were good and parts weren’t but we created a lot of chances.”
Robert Lopes and Graham Burke lay a high-five during the match
“I think it shows the level of opposition we’ve played. I still think we’ve left points behind. It would have been nice to play the game tonight with the chance to qualify but it wasn’t to be. We’ve got to learn from that as a whole.”
“It’s been a good campaign, when you look at the route we came it’s the first time it’s ever been done and hopefully that paves the way for Irish teams going forward. It’s not out of reach and the champions path isn’t the only way. We must learn from it and make sure next year we’re better.”
“I’ve made no secret of what I want to do and want to achieve but everything has to be right. I don’t get that mentality even as a player when people want to jump, young or old, never got it. I don’t understand it with managers.
“My ambitions have not changed. My job right now is to manage Shamrock Rovers and to do everything I can to make us better on and off the pitch. I’ve made no secret of my personal ambitions, that hasn’t changed one bit.
“You can’t look too far into the future. There’s been a lot of interest and talk. Like I said I won’t be jumping just to jump”.
