Europa League, third round qualifying, first leg
Shamrock Rovers v Shkupi (North Macedonia)
Tallaght stadium, 8pm
Proof that Shamrock Rovers are fully insulated for a European winter will arrive over the next 24 days as seven season-defining matches are piled on top of each other.
Whoever designed the League of Ireland schedule has a wicked sense of humour to hand Rovers back-to-back games against Derry City and Dundalk — the only clubs capable of denying them a domestic threepeat — just as they hare towards qualification into the group stages of Europe.
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Toss in an FAI Cup battle in Drogheda and every sinew of Stephen Bradley’s squad will be stretched to its limit before landing at a dismantled Dalymount Park on September 2nd for the Dublin derby with Bohemians.
“This position is exactly where we want to be,” said Bradley. “We travel next week and come back and play Derry, play the week after and come back and play Dundalk. Hopefully play in the cup the week after. That’s exactly where we want to be. No complaints.”
No mercy and no live TV either. Rovers, seemingly, fall between two broadcast stools as RTÉ are only contractually obliged to show Champions League matches, and Rovers were rerouted to the Europa League qualifier having lost to Ludogorets, 4-2 on aggregate following an incendiary second leg in Tallaght, while Virgin Media hold the rights for the group stages.
The national broadcaster is showing St Patrick’s Athletic away to CSKA Sofia on RTÉ News Now, with a decision to be made on which second leg receives live coverage once the first leg results are in.
Rovers know what needs doing to fly the Irish flag deep into December. Beat a highly competent North Macedonian side and the losers from Qarabag of Baku or Ferencváros of Budapest will await in a play-off to reach the Europa League proper. Lose and they face the champions of Kosovo or the Faroe Islands to make the Europa Conference League.
All indicators suggest that Rovers would be better suited to the latter. Financially, they would be €600,000 wealthier in the Europa League but that can be made up via €500,000 win bonuses in the Conference group stages.
Progress must be achieved without Pico Lopes and Jack Byrne. The Cape Verde international is rehabilitating a knee injury while the Ireland midfielder missed a heap of football since May, with Bradley holding some hope of including Byrne on the bench to face a Shkupi side that held pace with Dinamo Zagreb, eventually losing 3-2 on aggregate.
The Croatian champions went to Bulgarian and beat Ludogorets 2-1 on Tuesday. Rovers were picked apart by Ludogorets on July 19th before a home performance of compact bravery put a sheen on another result doused in regret.
“You have to learn, not just from last year, but the years before, Slovan as well, AIK,” said Bradley. “We’ve had a lot of them now and you have to learn from them and make sure they make you better. I feel they have.”
Results-based evidence counters Bradley’s argument as lessons from these European nights are harsh to the point of a lingering worry about Shamrock Rovers ability to carve out results on the road.
“If we are half a yard off, or not focused, or one or two switch off, we will be punished. They are the harsh lessons of European football. We have to make sure we fully respect what we are up against, and are focused.”
Rovers have a hellish travel schedule next week with an extra night in Skopje, due to staff shortages on chartered flights, before flying to Belfast and remaining up north to play Derry at the Brandywell. Two more European games follow with Dundalk in between. There really is no mercy.
