Uefa Conference League: Larne 1 Shamrock Rovers 4
The night belonged to Graham Burke. Pre-match Shamrock Rovers’ manager Stephen Bradley warned anyone listening that his team can do damage on a “big pitch, with big spaces” like Windsor Park.
Bradley was talking about Burke. The Republic of Ireland international, having won three caps in 2018, reminded everyone of his quality when afforded acres of grass to play, creating three goals and firing home the fourth with his cultured left foot.
“It was the Graham that got an international call-up a few years ago,” said Bradley. “When you get Graham on a big pitch, he can do that to anyone, 60 minutes of a really high-level performance from him, making all the right decisions.
“We took the fight out of the game, we took the occasion out of the game, which we needed to do, from the first minute we did that.
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“I like the nervous energy of a European night, it keeps you on edge.”
In truth, Bradley’s side made light work of Larne with first-half goals from Joshua Honohan, Johnny Kenny and a Tomas Cosgrove own goal, which allowed Bradley run his bench ahead of Sunday’s trip to Oriel Park when three points are needed against relegated Dundalk if they are to capture a fifth successive League of Ireland title.
The mismatch also meant that Dylan Watts and Jack Byrne were kept on ice until the last 15 minutes.
Rovers can hardly gloat. Only two years ago they struggled to compete in the group stages of European football’s third-tier competition.
They at least held their own by taking a point off Djurgardens of Sweden and Belgium’s Gent at Tallaght Stadium. Larne are nowhere near that level.
The result not only banks Rovers €400,000 in prize money, which is €100,000 more than other Irish clubs receive as a solidarity payment from Uefa, it puts them on course to reach the knock-out stages.
After two matches, they sit seventh in the Conference League standings, inside the top eight that automatically qualify for the last 16. Victory over Welsh champions The New Saints on November 7th should guarantee safe passage to the playoffs, for teams finishing between ninth and 24th of 36 teams, and prize money approaching €5 million.
Chelsea are already top of the pile after thumping Panathinaikos 4-1 in Athens. Rovers visit Stamford Bridge on December 19th.
The first ever European group game held in Northern Ireland seemed to come as a shock to Larne. At kick-off it was the 1,600 Rovers fans making all the noise and inside three minutes they were hoarse from celebrating Honohan’s goal.
“It felt like a home game to be honest,” admitted Bradley, “It is a special night, a European night up in Windsor that we will talk about in 10, 20, 30 years’ time when I am managing my local team.”
The back-to-back NIFL Premiership champions only have themselves to blame for encouraging Burke to trot 40 metres into their box, where his shot was deflected for the unmarked wing back to control and finish.
When Johnny Kenny shrugged off Cosgrove seconds later, a thrashing seemed certain until the 21-year-old’s effort hit the side netting.
Larne almost equalised when Benji Magee beat Lee Grace to the end line but his low cross for Andy Ryan was intercepted and cleared by Pico Lopes.
That was the zenith of Larne’s attacking threat before two Markus Poom corners raised more questions about the host’s ability to cope at this level.
Kenny nodded the second goal after Cian Bolger cleared a Poom delivery directly to Burke who whipped it back across the six-yard box.
Burke was initially awarded the third goal, although his glancing header at the front post – again, he was scandalously unmarked – was bundled into the net by Cosgrove. Greek referee Vasileios Fotias initially indicated a free out but VAR changed his mind.
Chris Gallagher’s strike early in the second-half finally got the blood flowing around Windsor Park. Again, it came from a pinball corner before Gallagher beat an outstretched Leon Pohls.
Larne’s stadium Inver Park does not meet Uefa standards but the home fans, having made a 24-mile trip to south Belfast, could finally let out a roar. Their outpouring of joy and drum-beating lasted six minutes.
Gallagher’s finish kept everyone tuned in. Besides being the first goal from a Northern Ireland club in the group stages of European football, it prompted Burke to waltz through the middle, where he was gifted all the grass his heart desired before picking a spot in the bottom corner of Rohan Ferguson’s net.
Four-one. Barely a contest. Rovers have not had it this easy all season.
“This team relishes the pressure in the second part of the season, they stick their chests out. But it’s gone now. We focus on Dundalk.”
LARNE: Ferguson; Cosgrove (Want, 90), Todd, Bolger, Ives; Gallagher, Thomson (McEneff, 60); Magee (Lusty, 73), Sloan (Randall, 73), Graham; Ryan.
SHAMROCK ROVERS: Pohls; Cleary, Lopes, Grace; Burns (Clarke, 73), Poom (Watts, 73), McEneff (Byrne, 73), Honohan; Mandroiu (Nugent, 60) Burke (Noonan, 66); Kenny.
Referee: Vasileios Fotias (Greece).
