SoccerRound-up

Shamrock Rovers well beaten in Europa Conference League qualifier first leg

Dundalk picked apart by KA Akureyri in Reykjavik

Shamrock Rovers goalkeeper Alan Mannus after Ferencvaros scored their second goal. Photograph: Aleksandar Djorovic/Inpho
Shamrock Rovers goalkeeper Alan Mannus after Ferencvaros scored their second goal. Photograph: Aleksandar Djorovic/Inpho
Macdara Ferris
Thu Jul 27 2023 - 20:51

Europa Conference League qualifier: Ferencvaros 4 Shamrock Rovers 0

It was another horrible defeat for the Hoops away from home with Shamrock Rovers without a win now in their last six competitive games and having lost their last four European matches.

Just the same as last season Rovers suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat at the hands of Ferencvaros in the first leg of a European tie in Budapest.

Rovers had a couple of early corners having started the game well in the opening 10 minutes, taking the game to the Green Eagles when they could, and dropping into a five at the back when without the ball.

Ferencvaros then got two corners in quick succession and it was from the second one that they scored their opening goal. Alan Mannus punched the initial corner clear from Cristian Ramírez but when Dávid Sigér’s deflected looping effort off Pico Lopes came back in he inexplicably let it get by him, just under the crossbar as the Hoops halfheartedly looked for a free out.

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Ramírez doubled his team’s advantage in the 32nd minute when the Ecuadorean international’s driven effort beat Mannus.

Two minutes into the second period Rovers were three down. Ramírez’s cross from the right was powerfully headed home by Adama Traoré (who scored twice against the Hoops in Budapest last year).

Ferencvaros matched their score from the last time they played Rovers in Budapest when Adam Varga slotted home their fourth after Traore got by Sean Kavanagh in the 74th minute.

Rovers did rattle the crossbar with a shot by Kenny, just before he made way for Aaron Greene, with 16-year-old Naz Raji also coming on for the Hoops for his European debut.

By then Rovers were four down after Traore has skinned Kavanagh with his centre coming to Adam Varga who slotted it home from close range.

Ferencvaros: Dibusz; Makreckis, Mmaee, Cisse, Ramírez; Abu Fani, Sigér (Esiti 77); Zachariassen (Ben Romdhane 71); Marquinhos (Lisztes 71), Varga (Katona 87), Traoré (Owusu 77).

Shamrock Rovers: Mannus; Cleary, Lopes, Grace; Hoare, O’Neill, Poom, Kavanagh; Towell (Finn 49), Kenny (Greene 79), Burt (Razi 79).

KA Akureyri 3 Dundalk 1

Dundalk will have to produce something special at Oriel Park next week to keep their European hopes alive after being picked apart by KA Akureyri in Reykjavik on Thursday night.

Stephen O’Donnell’s side conceded with all three shots on target against them in the first half as Bjarni Adalsteinsson’s opener was added to by a Sveinn Margeir Hauksson double before the break after Daniel Kelly had briefly equalised.

Hallgrímur Jónasson’s men took the lead on 28 minutes with Adalsteinsson capitalising on a slip by Andy Boyle to fire right-footed past Nathan Shepperd.

The home side’s lead would last less than four minutes as Kelly reacted quickest to Davies’ cross from the right not being cleared to hook a brilliant shot past Jajalo.

The 27-year-old had two half chances to put the visitors ahead after that but failed to take them as KA restored their lead on 37 minutes with Daniel Hafsteinsson slipping Hauksson in behind Robbie McCourt on the right for him to fire across Shepperd to the left hand corner.

Things then went from bad to worse for Dundalk on the stroke of half-time when Ásgeir Sigurgeirsson sprung the offside trap to break on the right. His pull back found Hauksson who fired low past Shepperd to make it 3-1.

Dundalk did improve in the second half with John Martin having a trio of chances to half the deficit for the second leg but unfortunately he couldn’t beat Jajalo as his side now face a huge uphill task to turn the tie around in Oriel Park next week.

KA Akureyri: Jajalo; Hrannar Mar Steingrímsson (Elísson 90), Brkovic, Rodri, Baldvinsson; Hauksson (Edmundsson 81), Bjarni Adalsteinsson, Hafsteinsson; Petersen (Árnason 60), Sigurgeirsson (Elfar Adalsteinsson 81), Hallgrímur Mar Steingrímsson.

Dundalk: Shepperd; Davies, Muller, Boyle, Leahy, McCourt; Yli-Kokko (Martin 63), Sloggett (Doyle 63), Malley, Kelly (Elliott 81); Hoban.

Referee: Georgi Davidov (Bulgaria).

Derry City 2 KuPS Kuopio 1

Derry City will carry a 2-1 lead to Finland next week following a sensational Europa Conference victory over KuPS Kuopio at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium.

And it was a deserved victory for Ruaidhri Higgins’ troops who produced a superb second half performance.

Having been stung by a goal on the stroke of half-time, Derry entered the second half and began to manage this affair and the fact that they stand 222 places behind KuPS on the Uefa standings.

Kupos coach, Jani Honkavaara faced a few early selection problems when he was informed that three prominent members of his squad failed to receive the necessary visas to travel to Northern Ireland.

The three African players, defenders Collins Sichenje, Clinton Antwi and Ibrahim Cisse, were forced to remain in Finland when their visas failed to arrive by Wednesday.

Derry goalkeeper Brian Maher was in action during the opening minutes following a KuPS corner, Maher diving low to block a header from Jasse Tuominen.

And in the 10th minute Derry’s Cameron McJannet had his pockets picked by KuPS’ towering Australian striker, Tete Yengi, the player on loan from Ipswich Town, but he failed to shoot having lost his footing.

Derry’s response was immediate with wing-back, Ben Doherty, driving a ferocious shot at the KuPS goal, keeper Johannes Kreidl getting down low to save.

With the big attendance making their feelings heard Derry went close again in the 15th minute.

Patrick McEleney flicked the ball into the danger area to find Jamie McGonigle, the striker’s effort bouncing off the crossbar with Kreidl beaten.

Despite Derry’s determination to remain on the front foot, KuPS got the rub of the green on the stroke of half-time when they were awarded a penalty.

As the home side began to back off, Urho Nissila opted to shot on goal and the ball appeared to strike the hand of Derry centre-back Mark Connolly and the Lithuanian referee immediately pointed to the spot.

Axel Vidjeskog took possession of the ball and drove it home, Maher diving the wrong way.

Following the change of ends, the home side again moved on the offensive and a Ben Doherty cross skimmed the head of Brandon Kavanagh, the ball falling wide of the KuPS net.

Minutes later Kavanagh let fly from 25 yards with the visiting keeper getting down well to make the save.

KuPS striker Tete Yengi stung the palms of Brian Maher in the 58th minute, the Derry keeper diverting the ball over his crossbar.

Derry were finally rewarded in the 67th minute when they equalised much to the delight of those in attendance.

Substitute, Paul McMullan did well to deliver a cross into the 18 yards box and Will Patching reacted well to direct his header into the KuPS net.

In fact Patching went close again in the 74th minute but he failed to control the ball and the chance was lost.

The roof of the Brandywell was lifted in the 79th minute when a cross from Duffy found substitute, Cian Kavanagh, and the Waterford man bundled the ball into the net to put the Candystripes into the driving seat.

Derry finished the game strongly and, indeed, could have added another goal during five minutes of added time.

Derry City: Maher; Boyce, Connolly, McJannet, Doherty; P. McEleney (Diallo, 85), Dummigan, Patching (O’Reilly, 85); B. Kavanagh (McMullan, 60), McGonigle (C. Kavanagh, 68), Duffy.

KuPS Kuopio: Kredl; Miettinen, Hamalainen, Toivomaki, Saarinen; Nissila (Heinonen, 88), Oksanen, Vidjeskog; Tuominen, Yengi, Savolainen (Lampinen, 66).

Referee: R Valikonis (Lithuania).