ryan thompson's shamrock

[Gamma]

through to the next round of uefa?!! iz true?

[Assasin]

Great win for Ryan and his team. Imagine Celtics and Rangers are both out. Good luck to Ryan.

[Karl]

Rovers march on in Europa League

Rovers march on in Europa League

Stephen O’Donnell scores the winning penalty against Partizan Belgrade tonight. Photograph: Ivan Milutinovic/Reuters


Partizan Belgrade 1 Shamrock Rovers 2 (Rovers win 3-2 on aggregate): Shamrock Rovers will go into the hat for the group stage draw of the Europa League tomorrow morning, becoming the first Irish side to do so, after 120 minutes of unrelenting drama in Belgrade tonight.
Stephen O'Donnell’s penalty in extra time earned their passage but the night will be remembered not just for Pat Sullivan’s wonder goal, which cancelled out Partizan’s first-half opener, but as the night Rovers made history.

Having conceded a crucial away goal in Tallaght last week, things threatened to go awry in the early stages for Rovers when Ryan Thompson, who had a decidedly mixed night in goal, could only direct his kick-out to Jovancic but with a clear run on goal the striker miscued his shot just past the post.

The Jamaican made amends in the 28th minute, a stunning save denying Vladimir Volkov from close range, but he could do nothing to keep out the winger’s header as the Serbians regained the upper-had in a topsy-turvy tie.

Again it was Volkov who caused the problems, although questions will have been asked about the Rovers defence, as he was allowed to rise unchallenged at a corner and direct the ball beyond a static Thompson.
With nothing to lose, Rovers brought on Karl Sheppard at the break to lend support to Gary Twigg and the move started to pay dividends almost immediately.

Having looked comfortable for the first 45 minutes, the Partizan back four suddenly looked vulnerable. Chris Turner went desperately close soon after the restart, his header from a devilish Stevens cross glancing the foot of the post.

With Stevens and his fellow fullback Pat Sullivan taking up advanced positions, Rovers started to boss the play, much to the annoyance of the vocal home support who were stunned into silence before the hour mark.
Having forced the corner, the ball was only cleared as far as Sullivan who met it with the sweetest of volleys to leave Radisa Ilic with no chance from all of 30 yards. It was a goal worthy of any stage, but having gained parity Rovers seemed content to protect what they had.

Stefan Babovic, fortunate to be on the pitch after aiming an elbow at Stevens, was denied by a last-gasp O'Donnell block while the home side also wasted a four-on-two break as the match approached 90 minutes.

It was a pattern that continued as the match entered extra-time with Thompson all at sea as Babovic fired a long-range free-kick against the bar. The ‘keeper was extremely fortunate not to concede a penalty moments later when he clattered into Lazar Markovic in a challenge that could generously be described as reckless.

Rovers soldiered on, however, and started to hit Partizan on the break. Having earned a corner, Dan Murray should have sealed the tie from six yards but skied his effort over. The big centre half needn’t have worried as Rovers dealt the killer blow with their very next attack.

Again Rovers broke and with their defence conspicuous by its absence, Kilduff was allowed a clear run on goal. Ilic parried the shot, but when the ball broke to Sheppard the Partizan ‘keeper took him down before he could get his shot away.

All that remained was for O’Donnell to keep his nerve, which he duly did, as Rovers reached the promised land.

http://www.shamrockrovers.ie/

[Karl]

It’s a great lift for League of Ireland.

Rovers' return evokes top memories

CÍAN NIHILL



SHAMROCK ROVERS’ arrival on to the big stage of European football has brought back memories of a famous clash the club had with the “Busby Babes” of Manchester United in 1957.

The team’s progress into the group stages of the Europa League may be a first for an Irish club, but Rovers have met some of the “ontinent’s top teams in the past.

Perhaps the most famous of these occasions was the club’s tie with Manchester United a year before many of Matt Busby’s team were lost in the Munich air crash of 1958.

In the past, champions of the League of Ireland would proceed directly into the draw for the European Cup, rather than having to qualify as Rovers did this week.

This led to the double-leg encounter with Manchester United in 1957 in which Rovers almost stole an away victory, leaving Old Trafford after a 3-2 defeat.

The week before they had lost at home by 6-0.

“My memory of that game is them getting a few late goals: they really caught us for fitness,” said Ronnie Nolan, who played for Rovers against United.

On Thursday, more than 50 years on from that encounter, Nolan watched on TV as his former club beat Partizan Belgrade to set up more hopefully memorable European nights.

“It’s a great lift for League of Ireland. It was very well deserved and financially it’s great, and probably badly needed,” he said.

“It’s very hard to make comparisons between then and now. I hope they do well,” he added.

Despite Rovers having a trophy cabinet brimming with domestic silverware, club historian Robert Goggins believes this week’s success was the biggest event in Rovers’ history since the club was founded in 1901.

“If you want to make comparisons, this is bigger [than 1957]. They have already played all these matches just to qualify, which is something no club in Ireland, north or south, has ever done” he said.

In the past, champions of the Irish league League of Ireland would simply be entered into the same competition as champions from other domestic leagues in prelimenary rounds to qualify for the main tournament.

It led to the double leg encounter with Manchester United in 1957 in which Rovers almost stole an away victory, leaving Old Trafford after a 3-2 defeat.

The week before they had lost at home six goals to nil.

“My memory of that game is them getting a few late goals, they really caught us for fitness” said Ronnie Nolan, who played for Rovers against the ’Busby Babes’.

On Thursday, over fifty years after that match in Dalymount Park, Ronnie watched on television as his former club set up more memorable European nights over the coming season.

“It’s a great lift for League of Ireland. It was very well deserved and a financially it’s great, and probably badly needed” he said.

“It’s very hard to make comparisons between then and now, I hope they do well” he added.

Irish bigger [than 1957]. TV3 will also be hoping Rovers do well in the competition as their inclusion should provide an unexpected windfall for the station.

The broadcaster’s group commercial director Pat Kiely said he expected “huge audiences for all the games” which will mean increased advertising revenue.

By yesterday morning TV3 had received dozens of calls about taking part in a sponsorship package being prepared, he said.

The station has exclusive rights in Ireland to air all Europa League matches. With an Irish team now playing in the competition for the first time the value of that coverage is set to be a “significant multiple” of what it was, said Mr Kiely.

Costs will also be higher, however, as the broadcaster will have to provide the live feed for other stations covering Rovers’ home matches. Normally, TV3 would buy the coverage from foreign companies for a price much lower than the six-figure sum being estimated by the primary provider.

Mr Kiely expected the revenue generated by increased advertising rates to “more than make up” for this increased cost.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...303061151.html