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LAST UPDATE | 3 hrs ago
SHAMROCK ROVERS HIT the self-destruct button in Malta and will have to overturn a two-goal deficit in Tallaght next week to progress in the Champions League.
The League of Ireland champions played with an early swagger that suggested they would return to Dublin with a favourable result but, against the run of play, they went behind just before half-time and unravelled thereafter.
Matt Healy’s minute of madness compounded matters as the Hoops midfielder – who was only drafted into the Ireland squad last month – was sent off in the 59th minute for two quick-fire yellow cards and Floriana kicked on to double their lead with 11 minutes to go.
It means Rovers have it all to do to flip the tie next Tuesday and avail of the champions path through the various European competitions.
Sure, Stephen Bradley’s charges can draw on their considerable experience at this level in the hope that it ignites a second-leg comeback. But it shouldn’t have come to this. Floriana were more clinical, but no great shakes. Rovers gifted them the win.
The Hoops played off the front foot from the outset and for large periods of the opening half, they looked like the only team that would score.
An early Graham Burke shot had the sting taken out of it when the ball clipped a covering defender, while Michael Noonan was close to opening the scoring after 13 minutes, but couldn’t get a clean header to a Dylan Watts cross at close range.
Adam Brennan, the recently capped Ireland international, was also a threat raiding down the left as the Hoops belied the stifling 29-degree heat to pile pressure on their hosts, who fed off scraps until a brief upturn in fortunes on the half hour.
Robert Muric, the former underage Croatian international who only signed for the Maltese champions last month, had Ed McGinty at full stretch with a low shot from outside the box before Kenan Dervišagić drilled wide as Floriana jolted into life.
Still, Rovers pressed on and Noonan would have scored only for Carlo Lonardelli’s last ditch block from six yards, while Enda Stevens saw an on target header – off a Rovers corner – crash off a defender’s shoulder as the Hoops looked to up the ante.
But Floriana made the League of Ireland champions pay for passing up those chances, by conjuring up a superb lead goal in injury-time.
Stevens conceded a free inside his own half and the Spaniard Federico Varela took it quickly, playing in Muric, who cut inside Cory O’Sullivan all too easily and fired low and hard into McGinty’s net. Yes, it was against the run of play, but it was a quality move.
Rovers were their own worst enemy thereafter and Healy’s rush of blood to the head approaching the hour was so costly. He was booked twice in a minute, for fouls on Varlea and Dunstan Veklla, and was dismissed.
Substitute Maleace Asamoah carried a threat late on, but Rovers rarely looked like getting back on terms and were duly punished 11 minutes from time when Floriana pounced for their second. McGinty saved Varela’s initial shot but Mustapha Jan slammed the loose ball to the net to leave Floriana in the driving seat.
FLORIANA: Cioletti; Lonardelli, Spiteri, Kauan, Beerman; Kurtalic, Vella (Romano 71); Muric (Gudelj 81), Varela, Dervišagić (N’Dri 66); Jan (Scerri 81).
SHAMROCK ROVERS: McGinty; Grace, Stevens, O’Sullivan; Mulraney (O’Regan 63), Watts (O’Sullivan 63), Healy, Brennan; Byrne, Burke (Asamoah 71); Noonan (McGovern 71).
Referee: Benjamin Brand (Germany).
Written by Paul O’Hehir 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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