Rovers continue European Fairytale in Tallaght
Shamrock Rovers continued their European fairytale with a 3-0 victory against Borac Banja Luka in Tallaght on Thursday night.
A Johnny Kenny double and assist for Neil Farrugia sealed the victory in what could be both players final game at Tallaght Stadium with neither plays future set in stone.
Another €400,000 has been added to the prize money pot, bringing it in total to approximately €6 million for the season.
Despite the 3-0 result, the Bosnian champions had the first chance of the game after just 60 seconds as Dorde Despotovic knocked the ball past Roberto Lopes and set up Stevan Savic who’s well struck effort was well saved by Leon Pohls.
Unfortunately for the visitors, that was the closest they would come all night in front of goal.
Rovers took the lead 10 minutes later after once again finding joy down the left wing through Josh Honohan, a theme of the campaign.
His cross this time evaded Kenny but fell to Darragh Burns on the other side who floated one into the danger area where Kenny freely headed home into an open net.
Shamrock Rovers boss Stephen Bradley will be delighted with the win
A Dylan Watts free kick from the edge of the box tipped over was the closest either side came in the remainder of the second half, as the hosts went in for a well needed rest following a physically demanding first 45.
The restart saw Rovers on top once again, and they doubled their lead on 55 minutes as some clever interplay set Johnny Kenny free and he drove at the Borac defence before squaring confidently for Farrugia to tap into an empty net.
After assisting the second, the Celtic loanee would get in on the act once again as after a defence splitting pall put him through one on one, he deftly chipped the keeper to make it three and put him joint top scorer in the competition alongside Chelsea’s Christopher Nkunku.
Farrugia and Kenny, the chief architect and executors on the night, both came off with the trip to Chelsea next week in mind.
The result brings Rovers to sixth in the table ahead of that trip, only joined by Vitoria de Guimaraes and Chelsea as the unbeaten sides left in the competition.
Bring on Chelsea was the message from the home faithful following the final whistle.
Rovers will head to West London with the aim of getting something to finish in the top eight but regardless if they do or so or not, they have now set an unprecedented, almost unachievable standard for any Irish club who proceeds them on this stage.
