Hoops make it a famous European double for the LOI

(Shamrock Rovers win 2-1 on aggregate)

Shamrock Rovers made it a magnificent European double for the League of Ireland as they shut out Portuguese side Santa Clara to follow Shelbourne into the league stage of the Conference League.

It is the first time two Irish sides have reached the group/league stages of European competition, with both now set to pocket a minimum of €3.7m in prize money.

Having snatched a 2-1 win in the Azores last week, Stephen Bradley's charges produced a discplined, focused and committed display to finish the job.

Santa Clara huffed and puffed, with Ed McGinty pulling off one stunning second-half save to keep them at bay. But overall they could have no complaints. They were out-thought and outfought over two legs by the Hoops, who become the first Irish team to make a league or group stage without the benefit of being in the 'champions path'.

Bradley went with the same starting XI that prevailed seven days ago, while the visitors made two alterations: Wendel Silva and Brenner came in for Joao Costa and the lightning quick Gabriel Silva.

About 40 Santa Clara supporters congregated in a small corner of the ground, vastly outnumbered and out-sang by the natives, who unfurled a banner in the 12th minute that read: 'Your courage and bravery inspires us all – one Josh Bradley'.

With their slender lead to protect, Shamrock Rovers were content to keep their wing-backs deep and settle into a compact 5-4-1 block out of possession.

That simple rope-a-dope tactic almost paid dividends just four minutes in when Pico Lopes launched a ball over the top towards Rory Gaffney. Gaffney’s chase was soundtracked by a guttural roar of encouragement, but keeper Gabriel Batista stayed cool to mop things up.

The class of Santa Clara, who finished fifth in Portugal's top tier last season, occasionally glistened.

Serginho’s daisy-cutter was blocked by Danny Mandroiu; Sidney Lima’s sprightly run was shut down by Lee Grace; then the imposing Matheus Nunes (aka MT) had a pot shot that dribbled well wide.

Generally, though, the Hoops looked pretty comfortable.

Dan Cleary gets a shot off in Tallaght

It took 26 minutes for Santa Clara to get in behind the home defence, Serginho’s through ball ricocheting into the path of Vinicius Lopes. Ed McGinty got his angles right to smother the effort, though the flag was raised regardless.

Grace went into the book for a flailing left arm that grazed the diminutive Brenner’s face. It seemed soft, but referee Matej Jug has form for upsetting Irish football fans: he was the man in the middle back in 2021 when Cristiano Ronaldo scored two late goals to help Portugal beat the Republic of Ireland 2-1.

MT had another snapshot from distance after the half-hour mark, his vicious effort cannoning into the tireless Darragh Nugent who had flung himself towards the ball.

There was plenty of perspiration; nine minutes before the break, we almost got a moment of inspiration. The eel-like Josh Honohan twisted the guts of two Santa Clara men on the left corner of the box before unleashing a brilliant rising drive that smacked off the crossbar via the fingertips of Batista.

That was as close as either side came in a cagey first 45.

With news trickling through of Shelbourne's great start up at Windsor Park, the sense that a famous brace of Euro breakthroughs was on the cards heightened.

Rovers re-emerged with intent, earning their first corner of the game a minute into the second half when Mandroiu’s strike spun off a defender and trickled wide. Dylan Watts’ wicked delivery almost dropped kindly for Dan Cleary, but he hacked at it under pressure, the ball rolling tamely into Batista’s hands.

Encouraging, but, as the minutes ticked by, Santa Clara started to come out of their shells.

Serginho’s influence grew in the engine room, and Brenner buzzed with intent.

Gaffney relieved the pressure with a twinkle-toed run just before the hour mark, teasing a string of Santa Clara men and feeding Honohan, who was scythed down by Diogo Cabral. The subsequent free-kick from the left was glanced inches over the bar by Lopes.

Both managers played their aces with half an hour to play: Bradley introduced Graham Burke, and his opposite number Vasco Matos summoned Brazilian Gabriel Silva, officially the fastest footballer in the world after clocking over 40kmph in a league game back in May.

Dylan Watts (L) takes control

A Santa Clara onslaught never really materialised; indeed Lopes went close again with another flicked header that dropped agonisingly wide.

However, in the 70th Rovers required McGinty to pull off a truly outstanding save, an elastic-limbed reflex that saw the 26-year-old scoop over a sweet Vinicius Lopes half-volley.

Substitutes Burke and Michael Noonan injected aggression and energy into the Hoops when they needed it, while the immense trio Lopes, Grace and Cleary remained foot perfect.

McGinty showed more cat-like reflexes to paw away a dipping late free-kick that soared towards his left corner.

After that, Shamrock Rovers survived a stoppage-time penalty box scramble and one final Santa Clara corner to get over the line.

Another winter of adventure waits.

Shamrock Rovers: Ed McGinty; Lee Grace, Roberto Lopes (capt), Dan Cleary; Danny Grant, Josh Honohan; Darragh Nugent (Graham Burke 61), Matt Healy, Dylan (Aaron McEneff 82) ; Danny Mandroiu; Rory Gaffney (Michael Noonan 72)

Santa Clara: Gabriel Batista (capt); Sidney Lima, Rocha (Pedro Ferreira 75), Matheus Nunes; Diogo Cabral, Paulo Victor (Gabriel Silva 61); Adriano, Serginho; Vinicius Lopes, Wendel Silva (Matheus Pereira 61), Brenner (Elias Manoel 75)

Referee: Matej Jug (Slovenia)

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