Shamrock Rovers 1-0 Stjarnan (Rovers win 2-0 on aggregate)
UEFA Europa League 1st Qualifying Round, Second Leg.
By Jamie Moore at Tallaght Stadium
Shamrock Rovers will face Mlada Boleslav from Czech Republic in the Europa League 2nd Qualifying Round after beating Stjarnan on Thursday night.
Graham Burke got the winner in the 20th minute after some excellent Rovers' play.
The Hoops did well to keep their clean sheet, goalkeeper Tomer Chencinski made some key saves, combined with Stjarnan's inability to convert any of their chances the main reasons.
Chances
The away team should have been ahead in the game but for Chencinski's double save to deny Hauksson and Halldorsson.
Then Rovers took the lead.
Luke Byrne found Brandon Miele, who rolled his marker before crossing to the back post, Trever Clarke did brilliantly to keep it alive and smash it back across the goal, where Burke was there to finish from close range.
Ex Aston Villa man Burke,who is in the middle of a domestic suspension, was Rovers' best player.
He could have had his team further ahead with two efforts, both well saved by Haraldur in the Stjarnan goal.
Control
Stephen Bradley's team needed to control the second-half, they led 2-0 in the tie, after Gary Shaw's winner last Thursday, but they allowed Stjarnan plenty of chances to get what could have been a key away goal.
The best of those came in the 61st minute, and Canadian 'keeper Chencinski had to be at his best again to tip Halldoesson's powerful shot over the crossbar after Fridjonsson's cross.
Then a combination to goalkeeper and defender Dave Webster stopped Baldvinsson's goal-bound shot.
That away goal would have made things very interesting.
Sub Michael O'Connor then had two powerful shots well saved.
But Rovers hold on to their second European clean sheet in a week, and deservedly advanced to the second round.
They'll host Czech side Mlada Boleslav in Tallaght next Thursday (July 13th) before the away leg on Thursday July 20th.
Shamrock Rovers - Tomer Chencinski; Simon Madden, Roberto Lopes, Dave Webster, Luke Byrke; Ryan Connolly (Aaron Bolger, 86), Ronan Finn; Trevor Clarke, Graham Burke (Dave McAllister, 79), Brandon Miele; Gary Shaw (Michael O’Connor, 70)
We'll be joined by Shamrock Rovers Head Coach Stephen Bradley on Now That's What I Call Sport this Sunday morning at 9am.
