The Shamrock Rovers players are facing the biggest game of their lives tonight at Tallaght Stadium. Well, there’s one straight away.
Rovers are guaranteed a Europa League group place if they win
Just the one goal then for Michael O’Neill’s side to overturn against Copenhagen tonight. And if they do, they’re into the Europa League group stage at the very least.
Rovers are bidding to go where no Irish side has ever gone before and we’d be lying if we weren’t feeling a tad patriotic here in the office this afternoon. Nobody has run out and bought a Hoops jersey just yet though – there are quite a few Mayo lads here, so we’ll wait for the Champions League for that. Maybe.
Gary Twigg
One Scottish Gary has been an Irish football hero before – step forward, Gary Mackay – and Twigg (pictured top) could well be another this evening.
He may be struggling to hit the heights of his first two seasons with the Hoops but he’s still their top scorer in 2011 and he’ll be carrying the hopes of everyone in Tallaght this evening.
The Scot – he arrived in the League of Ireland via Brechin City – topped the charts in 2009 with 24 goals and again last year with 20, and while he’s managed just 11 for the 2011 Premier Division campaign so far, leaving him six behind Eamon Zayed, nobody would be surpised if he went on a streak to make it three-in-a-row of League of Ireland “pichici” awards between now and November.
The atmosphere in Tallaght goes all hushed and expectant whenever the ball finds its way to Twigg – and often that hush turns to a roar when he cracks the ball to the net.
Copenhagen aren’t a shabby side to watch
Rovers edged past Flora Tallinn 1-0 on aggregate in the last round, but this is a much sterner test against the Danish champions, who made it through to the last 16 of last season’s Champions League before losing to Chelsea.
They finished runners-up in Barcelona’s Group D and drew 1-1 with the eventual champions at home. Rubin Kazan and Panathanikos were the other teams in that group.
Just as a reminder, victory for Copenhagen tonight does not spell the end for Rover’s European journey – they will still go into the play-off stage of the Europa League if they come up short.
The atmosphere will be buzzing
Not being able to get a ticket – and this game has been sold out well in advance – doesn’t mean you won’t be able to experience the atmosphere this evening.
There will be 7000-odd Rovers fans going nuts at Tallaght Stadium, and the noise they make will be transported easily through your TV speakers. So if you were unlucky enough to catch the Dublin “So Called” Super Cup at a half-empty Aviva at the weekend, this one will definitely be the real deal in comparison. And there’s a simple reason for that – it is the real deal.
There’s feck all else on the telly
We’ve checked it out and all that’s on offer is Gladiator, screened for the 149,326th time.
The Hour and the strangely unmissable freakshow quality of Come Dine With Me Ireland both start at 9pm, so you could always set the Sky Plus for one of those.
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