By Gavin Cummiskey
At Tallaght Stadium
Shamrock Rovers 2 (Greene 21, Emakhu 88)
Ludogorets 1 (Cauly Souza 91)
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(Ludogorets win 4-2 on aggregate)
Far, far away from terrestrial television, Shamrock Rovers threatened to overwhelm an initially disinterested Ludogorets in a barnstorming Champions League affair.
Eighteen-year-old Aidomo Emakhu, in a repeat of last year’s winner against Teuta of Albania, set up a grandstand finish by blasting Rovers second goal only for Cauly Souza to settle the tie in injury-time.
The result means Rovers are rerouted to a Europa League qualifier at home next Thursday to North Macedonian champions Shkupi.
The early goal Rovers so desperately needed to plant doubt in the mind of this multicultural Bulgarian outfit almost escaped them. Graham Burke lost the race to Richie Towell’s arcing ball inside three minutes, as Ludogorets goalkeeper Sergio Padt cleared to safety.
The onslaught was only beginning. Rovers were their usual selves on their Tallaght turf, in stark contrast to last Tuesday’s collapse in Razgrad, with Sean Hoare composed at the heart of a three-man defence despite filling the role normally nailed down by the injured Pico Lopes.
Every player was switched on, but Andy Lyons looked particularly sharp down the left. As a move to Blackpool in the EFL Championship seems increasingly likely, perhaps the Ireland under-21 wanted to mark his Champions League debut with some fond memories.
With Jack Byrne also unavailable, Rovers needed others to influence the midfield exchanges and Towell, superhero and pantomime villain in equal measure, really should have scored after eight minutes.
Ronan Finn’s low delivery across the goalmouth was screaming out for a final touch as Towell did a decent impression of Paul Gascoigne against Germany at Euro 1996, arriving at the back post a split second too late.
Ludogorets’ turn was next. Alan Mannus made a spectacular intervention to deny Anton Nedyalkov’s header from a corner.
Rovers survived and came again with Lyons turning back onto his right foot to drop a cross on Burke’s head that Padt saved one-handed, only for Aaron Greene to bury the rebound – 1-0, 20 minutes gone and Tallaght was buzzing.
The Bulgarian champions were so far removed from the side that blitzed Rovers last week that their coach Ante Simundza felt obliged to cajole his relatively star-studded team into action.
The reaction was tepid, as Manuel Cafumana spoke volumes for their attitude when taking a yellow card for kicking Lyons as Rovers high press put them under the sort of pressure they usual visit upon other teams.
But the chances kept falling for Towell. Ten minutes before the break he slashed a shot inches wide.
Alex Santana, the Brazilian who conducted all 94 minutes of the first leg, was expected to grab hold of the contest but instead he was booked for an impetuous hack.
Same goes for Bernard Tekpetey, a rapid winger targeted by several European clubs, who was lucky to only receive yellow for his crunching tackle on Gary O’Neill.
When Towell fouled Tekpetey seconds later, the Ghanaian international had to be stopped by a teammate from retaliating. Sensibly, Simundza hooked him at half-time.
Ludogorets seemed as rattled as they were likely to cut Rovers open with a moment of inventiveness.
Briefly, anything seemed possible. Even Hoare let fly with a shot from 40 yards that Padt fumbled. Come the interval Rovers players sprinted into the tunnel as Ludogorets walked slowly, understandably surprised by how much momentum had been lost.
It got worse before they survived. Cafumana was sent off by Italian referee Fabio Maresca after a second yellow for another foul on Lyons as the volume belied the 6,322 attendance.
The cards were flowing all and Rovers were no angels. Mr Maresca gets full marks for booking Towell for a dive that beggars belief, as he did so well to control Burke’s through ball only to collapse with Zan Kamicnik’s breathing down his neck.
What was initially celebrated as a stonewall penalty and red card became a Lugogorets free out.
It felt like the tie could be decided by how Stephen Bradley used his bench. Perhaps influenced by the three-goal mountain, regulars Rory Gaffney and Dylan Watts did not start but, along with Neil Farrugia, the trio were unleashed for the last 20 minutes.
Chances were hard to come by though, with Olivier Verdon and Ukraine’s Igor Plastun both giving an exhibition in reading the play from centre-half for the visitors.
The crescendo delivered two goals and Rovers fans raining bottles down on Padt’s goal as one bright spark decided a pitch invasion was a good idea.
He was intercepted by stewards before reaching the Dutch goalkeeper but Uefa are sure to investigate the grim end to a fantastic spectacle, witnessed by too few.
Shamrock Rovers: Mannus; Gannon, Hoare, Grace; Finn (Farrugia 71), McCann (Ferizaj 82), O’Neill (Gaffney 71), Towell (Emakhu 78), Lyons; Burke (Watts 71); Greene.
Ludogorets: Padt; Kamicnik, Plastun, Verdon, Nedyalkov; Cafumana, Santana, Cauly Souza (Terziev 91); Tekpetey (Delev ht), Sotiriou (Igor Thaigo 86), Despodov (Rick ht).
Referee: Fabio Maresca (Italy).
