With the disappointment of earlier in the week behind them, Shamrock Rovers got back to the business of winning on Friday night.
Gary Twigg got in ahead of Dean Kelly to get on the end of a Billy Dennehy corner to power the ball in the back of the net past Barry Murphy in the 66th minute.
Tempers frayed a little just before half time when keeper Ryan Thompson and Dan Murray squared up to each other after a mix up in the penalty box.
And it could have gone badly wrong after just two minutes when a Christy Fagan made the most of a long ball down the left.
But he had no support and Ryan Thompson was able to do is thing with ease. Eight minutes later Twigg looked threatening at the other end, but he’d have to wait until the second half to score the only goal of the game.
After that, the champions prevailed making boss Michael O’Neill happyas he looks towards another chance of making progress in Europe, against Partizan in Belgrade and at Tallaght Stadium on 18 and 25 August in the hope of getting through to the group stages of the Europa League.
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