Hoops well in the tie as they look to overturn one-goal deficit in Tallaght next week

Europa League third qualifying round first leg: NK Celje 1 Shamrock Rovers 0 (Menalo 34)

Shamrock Rovers will be looking to overturn a one-goal deficit in Tallaght next Thursday after a 34th-minute Luka Menalo goal earned Slovenia’s NK Celje a narrow Uefa Europa League third qualifying round first leg victory at Stadion Z’dežele last night.

While Rovers midfielder Dylan Watts did fire a shot over the bar inside the opening 60 seconds of the game – and subsequently had an effort comfortably saved by Celje netminder Lovro Štubljar – Daniel Cleary had to be alert to block a goal-bound Armandas Kučys strike at the opposite end.

The hosts (managed by former Manchester City and Liverpool player Albert Riera) were certainly posing a threat in the final-third and Hoops custodian Leon Pohls was twice called into action just shy of the first-quarter mark. After he superbly turned away a firm Aljosa Matko shot from a Kučys pullback, the German native also denied Mario Kvesić from point-blank range.

Yet the Slovenians eventually broke the deadlock on 34 minutes when Menalo knocked the ball past Sean Hoare before unleashing a shot into the bottom left-corner of the net.

This was a blow for Stephen Bradley’s Hoops and while Štubljar had to be on his toes to save a long-distance drive from Hoare as the half-time whistle approached, Celje ultimately brought a 1-0 cushion into the break.

Despite being in the driving seat at the midway point, Celje were displaying some hesitancy in defence when Rovers did manage to get the ball towards the opposition penalty area. Yet although there was no shortage of endeavour from the Hoops, the closest they came to levelling matters in the third-quarter was when Neil Farrugia cut in off the right-wing in the 58th minute – and proceeded to fire past the target.

On the other hand, Celje had an opportunity to double their lead when Rolando Aarons – who previously played in the English Premier League with Newcastle United – pounced on a mistake from Robert Lopes on 73 minutes, but the latter recovered brilliantly and managed to block his resulting strike on goal.

Rovers did have a chance of their own after Aaron McEneff was found in space on the right-flank with 13 minutes of normal time remaining, but while Štubljar ensured the Derry man couldn’t bag an equaliser, the Premier Division title holders will feel that it is within their grasp to swing the pendulum in their favour when the sides renew acquaintances in Tallaght.

NK CELJE: Štubljar; Nenamič, Zec, Dulca (Kavcic, 46 mins); Menalo, Bobičanec, Kvesić (Edmilson, 67 mins), Brnić (Popovic, 67 mins); Pišek, Kučys (Aarons, 46 mins), Matko (Kouter, 67 mins).

SHAMROCK ROVERS: Pohls; Cleary, Lopes, Hoare; Honohan, Nugent (McEneff, 67 mins), O’Neill, Clarke (Burns, 57 mins); Watts (Poom, 78 mins), Farrugia (Burke, 78 mins); Greene.

Referee: D Sylwestrzak (Poland).