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SHAMROCK ROVERS suffered a 1-0 defeat against Ballkani in their Uefa Conference League third qualifying round encounter at the Fadil Vokrri Stadium in Kosovo tonight.
Sunday Adetunji settled the game on the night with a well-taken 58th-minute goal to give the Kosovans the advantage ahead of the return leg at Tallaght Stadium.
The Premier Division outfit will come away from this match grateful with only the one-goal deficit as Ballkani missed a couple of good second-half chances to win by a greater margin.
Nonetheless, the Irish team will still retain a degree of optimism, with home advantage next week.
Stephen Bradley’s side made just one change from their last European trip against St Joseph’s, with Darragh Nugent coming into the starting XI in place of the injured Graham Burke.
Meanwhile, Roberto Lopes made a record-breaking 48th European appearance for the Hoops.
In contrast with Rovers, who are 26 matches into their Premier Division campaign, last season’s Kosovo Superleague runners-up don’t begin their domestic campaign until 16 August.
And the match, at times, was played at a lethargic pace, characteristic of pre-season encounters.
In the early stages, forward Adetunji — who hit 18 goals in 32 league appearances last season — looked a threat with his pace in behind, but the hosts struggled to cause significant problems to the Rovers backline.
The first clear chance arrived in the 12th minute. Almir Kryeziu found Giovanni Ribeiro with an incisive through pass, but Nigeria international Adetunji couldn’t get a touch to the Brazilian’s low cross.
Shortly thereafter, Ribeiro squared it to Geralb Smajli, but Ed McGinty was equal to the full-back’s powerful strike from distance.
These were rare moments of alarm, however — Rovers, without threatening much themselves, looked comfortable for most of the opening half.
Just after the half-hour mark, though, the Premier Division side were nearly caught out by a short corner.
Kryeziu set up Ardit Deliu, but the midfielder’s first-time shot drifted a few inches wide.
Orges Shehi’s side suffered a scare just before half-time. Dylan Watts’ corner was met by Josh Honohan, but Adnan Golubović got down well to make the save before Rory Gaffney’s follow-up was deflected wide.
Yet a draw at the break was a fair outcome, with neither side looking particularly dominant.
Rovers threatened again after the break — Honohan found himself in a promising position down the left, but the cross came at an awkward height for Danny Mandroiu, who could not direct his effort on target.
Despite the visitors beginning promisingly, it was Ballkani who broke the deadlock minutes later.
Adetunji evaded the attention of Dan Cleary and finished coolly after being played through by Giovanni.
The home side missed a gilt-edged chance minutes later — Kryeziu failed to find the target from close range after an initial deflected shot was well saved by McGinty.
Ballkani were very much in the ascendancy now – Giovanni and Adetunji linked up again, but this time Cleary was alert to the danger, making a timely interception to stop the striker powering through on goal.
Kryeziu then tested McGinty with a long-range effort as the Kosovan side pushed for a second goal.
As the game entered its final 10 minutes, Rovers breathed another sigh of relief, when Adetunji could only finish tamely from Bleart Tolaj’s pinpoint cross.
Ballkani continued to threaten as Giovanni flashed a low shot narrowly wide after Adetunji did well to hold the ball up under pressure from Cleary.
But, having been under the cosh for much of the second 45, Rovers almost snatched a dramatic stoppage time equaliser.
Honohan got his head on the end of Watts’ well-executed free kick, but Golubović made a good save to deny the wing-back for a second time.
The winners of the tie will face Santa Clara or NIFL Premiership outfit Larne in the play-off round, with the Portuguese side almost certain to progress after securing a 3-0 first-leg win at the Ballymena Showgrounds tonight.
Ballkani: 25. Adnan Golubović 2. Geralb Smajli 28. Ivica Batarelo (Jashanica 39) 4. Gentrit Halili 3. Arbër Potoku (Letaj 85) 21. Ardit Deliu 8. Giovanni Ribeiro 29. Albert Diène 11. Walid Hamidi (Tolaj 65) 91. Sunday Adetunji 10. Almir Kryeziu
Subs: 1. Artan Iljazi 12. Malsor Bajraktari 7. Bleart Tolaj 9. Valentin Serebe 16. Diar Vokrri 17. Ardi Maksutaj 19. Engjëll Ajazaj 22. Elvis Letaj 23. Loris Kolgeci 32. Bajram Jashanica 33. Leonis Murseli
Shamrock Rovers: 1. Ed McGinty 2. Josh Honohan 4. Roberto Lopes 5. Lee Grace 6. Dan Cleary 21. Danny Grant 17. Matt Healy 7. Dylan Watts 14. Danny Mandroiu 15. Darragh Nugent (Noonan 60) 20. Rory Gaffney (Malley 60).
Subs: 25. Lee Steacy 41. Alex Noonan 3. Adam Matthews 9. Aaron Greene 11. Sean Kavanagh 16. Gary O’Neill 22. Cian Barrett 23. Conor Malley 27. Cory O’Sullivan 31. Michael Noonan 88. John McGovern
Referee: Dmytro Panchyshyn (Ukraine)
Written by Paul Fennessy and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.
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