Penalty heartbreak for Rovers who bow out of Europe
Shamrock Rovers suffered a heart-breaking end to their UEFA Conference League adventure as they were beaten by Molde following a penalty shoot-out at Tallaght Stadium.
The match finished 1-0 to the visitors to bring the aggregate score to 1-1, resulting in the tie going to extra time at the packed Dublin venue.
But Rovers would bow out ahead of the last 16 following a 5-4 penalty defeat with Aaron Greene's missed penalty effectively sending Molde through.
Rovers’ first leg advantage had lasted less than ten minutes as the visitors struck early through Magnus Wolff Eikrem to restore parity in the two-legged encounter.
Both sides enjoyed periods of dominance throughout the 90 minutes but it was Rovers who were pushing to win the game in regulation maintaining real pressure on the visitors’ goal throughout the final 30 minutes.
But the breakthrough would not arrive and the game was sent to extra time with Molde reduced to ten men for the 30-minute period, before the shoot-out would end the epic Rovers European escapade.
Rovers had come into the game looking to bring the confidence of last week's win with them and they started with real composure, working the ball well down the right with Danny Grant, Graham Burke and Matt Healy linking well.
Molde were happy to sit in for those opening exchanges, starting with a very compact formation with two deep midfielders guarding the flat back four.
Rovers maintained the pressure without threatening, before Molde shocked the hosts with their first real foray forward.
And it was a gift of a goal, as Rovers were caught out by a high ball aimed at Fredrik Gulbrandsen that was somehow allowed to bounce, causing havoc between goalkeeper and defender.
Ed McGinty managed to make contact, however, it was a poor punch, which sent the ball perfectly into the path of Eikrem who made no mistake with an emphatic finish from just outside the box.
The tie was suddenly level with all Rovers' efforts at the Aker Stadion undone by some uncharacteristicly sloppy defending.
Stephen Bradley’s side looked for an immediate response to work their way back into the game and it came in the 14th minute with a long ball of their own for Michael Noonan to chase.
The young striker won the race in behind before taking the ball around the advancing goalkeeper, but he was sent wide and the angle proved too tight as Noonan’s shot slid across the face of the goal.
Rovers were again on the attack four minutes later, this time down the left, playing the ball into a threatening position on the edge of the box where it was squared to Aaron McEneff whose first-time, placed effort hit the target but Jacob Karlstrom was right behind it.
Roberto Lopes heads on goal
Molde went right up the pitch and should really have doubled their lead following a world class pass from captain Eikrem that split the defence to send Gulbrandsen racing through.
McGinty was quickly out to put pressure on the striker and made immediate amends with a brilliant save as Gulbrandsen attempted to clip it home.
The visitors remained in the ascendancy as the Rovers back line began to drop deeper and deeper and the chances kept coming as Kristian Eriksen’s overhead kick was saved before Lee Grace had to be alert to deal with another whipped delivery into the box.
But the best chance would fall for Rovers in the 27th minute as Burke was sent racing through the middle before opting to help the ball inside to the arriving McEneff who found himself one on one with the keeper.
A deft clip helped the ball past Karlstrom, however, there was just not enough pace on the ball as Martin Linnes raced back and lunged to clear just before it crossed the line.
It was end-to-end action for the opening 30 minutes and Molde were getting plenty of joy working the ball around the back of the Rovers defensive line, requiring Roberto Lopes to make a timely challenge to prevent another chance on goal.
Rovers again pushed forward and in the 31st minute. Burke and McEneff linked up well once again with the latter sending the ball fizzing across the face, however, Noonan was unable to turn it home.
The tempo eventually dropped for the closing stages of the first half as the sides bowed out for the break with the tie very much in the balance ahead of the second 45 minutes.
It was Molde who resumed on the front foot and dominated the opening five minutes of the second half enjoying a decent chance early on as Linnes’ effort from the edge was blocked en route to goal.
And apart from a brief trip to the corner flag for the home side, the momentum was certainly with the Norwegian unit who were looking more powerful with their play as Rovers again were forced to sit deep.
Rovers finally started to find their feet as the blustering wind was causing both sides difficulties, and the home side’s first chance of the half arrived in the 62nd minute as the ball was clipped to the unmarked Burke in prime position in front of goal.
The forward appeared to be in two minds whether to head or control, opting for the latter, but by the time he took the ball down and shot, it was charged down.
The chances kept coming as Rovers camped in the final third of the pitch with Noonan coming into the game and making a nuisance of himself in and around the box.
And the young striker had a great chance to level matters as the Molde keeper was stranded well out of his goal, however, he tried to take the ball closer to the goal instead of hitting it first time and the chance was gone – the subsequent penalty shout waved away.
Rovers were really going for it, and Molde were now struggling to get the ball out of their own half, while some players looked to be struggling with fatigue as the Hoops kept turning the screw.
Isak Amundsen recieved a second yellow for this foul
Yet it would not find its groove as the wind continued to wreak havoc with the best chance falling to Burke in the 77th minute on the edge of the box, but his snatched shot went wide.
Molde's best hopes came via the odd counterattack, however, Rovers were quick to cancel and return the ball back into the opposition half.
But time was running out for the home side as the 90-minute mark approached and with just three minutes of added time, the game was heading towards extra time.
And so it would transpire, however, the visitors would have to face the additional 30 minutes with just ten men as Isak Amundsen picked up a second yellow and was sent off just before the final whistle.
The initiative clearly with the home side as the first period played out, however, it took the Hoops nine minutes to work a chance on goal as McEneff's deflected shot looped wide.
The ten men were sitting in and doing a good job slowing the game down, making it to the break relatively unscathed.
Rovers added their second 16-year-old, as Victor Ozhianvuna was sent into the fray, and they upped the ante throughout, limiting Molde to one break where substitute Daniel Demenenge Daga’s shot was comfortable for McGinty.
There was a moment in the 109th minute when it looked like Rovers would win it as McEneff’s tempting ball from the left saw Noonan get in front of his man but he was unable to work his header on target.
Rovers were now playing against the clock as much as Molde and were looking for avenues with Ozhianvuna seeing plenty of action attacking the left flank.
But the Hoops could not conjure up a late chance to finish the fading Norwegians off and the dreaded penalty shoot-out would decide it.
Rovers were first to shoot and things started well as Matt Healy opened the scoring much to the delight of the raucous South Stand right behind the goal.
But then at 2-2 following four fine spot-kicks, Greene's poor penalty low to the keeper's left was easily stopped by Karlstrom. McGinty was unable to get near either of the next two Molde efforts, which left it to Eirik Hestad to decide the tie and he made no mistake to see the ten men of Molde snatch the victory and progress.
Shamrock Rovers: Ed Mcginty; Joshua Honohan (Victor Ozhianvuna 104) , Roberto Lopes, Lee Grace; Daniel Grant, Cory O'Sullivan, Aaron McEneff, Gary O'Neill (John O'Reilly-O'Sullivan 117), Matthew Healy; Graham Burke (Aaron Greene 89), Michael Noonan
Molde: 1 Jacob Karlstrøm; 18 Halldor Stenevik, 21 Martin Linnes (Mads Enggård 65), 26 Isak Amundse, 19 Eirik Haugan; 16 Emil Breivik, 17 Mats Moller Dæhli; 20 Kristian Eriksen, 7 Magnus Wolff Eikrem (Eirik Hestad 91), 15 Markus Kaasa (Daniel Demenenge Daga 96); 8 Fredrik Gulbrandsen (Frederik Ihler 65)
Referee: Tasos Sidiropoulos (GRE)
