SOCCER: Shamrock Rvrs, 1 Flora Tallinn 0:THERE MAY be some way to go in this Champions League qualifying tie before they are sure of their place in the next round, but, having been taken for something of a ride a little too often on their European travels down the years, Shamrock Rovers are at least in the driving seat as they head for Tallinn next week.

The Dubliners needed their luck to hold up late on when Henri Anier passed up a decent chance to grab an equaliser but overall Rovers were well worth the win. The home side created countless chances during an entertaining clash they largely dominated even if they did not add to Chris Turner’s solitary goal a little over half an hour in.

It is only the fourth time in 15 attempts Rovers have brought a lead away with them in European competition and on two of the three previous occasions they have gone on to win. If they slip up this time they’ll agonise over some of last night’s many opportunities to effectively book their place in the third round, but, even as it is, the win and clean sheet had been described by Michael O’Neill as an “ideal world” scenario.

“I thought we were excellent, right from the off our intentions were clear,” said O’Neill afterwards. “We were probably disappointed not to score in the first 15 minutes. It’s very difficult to play at that tempo for the full 90 minutes and so we knew the energy levels might drop which proved to be the case, but I still thought we created a lot of chances to get the second goal . . . I’d be confident there will be opportunities to score out there again.”

Flora boss Martin Reim had acknowledged he was concerned about how his young side might cope with the pace and physicality of the Irish champions’ game and it was initially the former that seemed to shake Flora up with Rovers tearing into them in a couple of frantic opening minutes that could easily have produced a goal or two for the locals.

Starting with the side that finished strongly against Derry at the Brandywell on Friday night, O’Neill handed Stephen O’Donnell the task of affording a little protection from midfield to the central defence while Ronan Finn and Chris Turner were given the freedom to push forward in support of lone striker Gary Twigg.

All were outstanding during the early onslaught and Twigg gave Estonian international Karl Palatu and his far less experienced central defensive partner Nikita Baranov a torrid time while Valeri Minkenen and Sergei Mosnikov in midfield never came close to getting to grips with Turner and Finn’s darting runs forward.

Stanislav Pedok, the Flora goalkeeper, didn’t inspire confidence either with the 23-year-old repeatedly meeting shots with extravagant punches when more controlled was called for. However, it was the visitors who might well have scored first. Rauno Alliku should have hit the target midway through the half after cutting fairly casually inside Enda Stevens, but his shot was a yard wide.

Reim had more to complain about 10 minutes later, though, when Craig Sives needlessly took down Markus Jurgenson inside the area only to be let off the hook by Minkenen whose weak and poorly directed penalty made life very easy indeed for Alan Mannus.

The sense of relief around the stadium was swiftly replaced by unrestrained joy. Within a few moments, Mannus started a move down the right that ended with a low cross that ricocheted though a densely-packed six-yard box that included Twigg, Billy Dennehy, three defenders and, of course, Pedok, but the ball somehow squeezed through and towards the far post where Turner had only to blast it home from a yard.

A second, a couple of minutes later, was disallowed for offside, but Rovers at that stage looked very good bets to add to their lead over the remaining 50-odd minutes. Their strength seemed to give them an edge that unsettled Flora in every department and while the Estonians were neat on the ball they found it difficult to keep given the Rovers pressure.

Reim at the break changed the shape of his team and the personnel but Rovers’ attacking unit continued to generate a succession of chances. Had they been a little more clinical next week’s return leg might have been a foregone conclusion, but, on the strength of this display, they will travel with confidence.

SHAMROCK ROVERS: Mannus; Sullivan, Sives, Oman, Stevens; O’Donnell (O’Neill, 83 mins); Kelly (McCabe, 76 mins), Finn, Turner (McCormack, 71 mins), Dennehy; Twigg.

FLORA TALLINN: Pedok; Kams, Palatu, Baranov, Jurgenson; Minkenen, Mosnikov; Alliku (Masitsev. 71 mins), Beglarishvili (Herrem, half-time) Luts; Henri Anier (Hannes Anier, 87 mins).

Referee: Jakob Kehlet (Denmark).