Shamrock Rovers have qualified for the Europa league

Your Airbag

Well done Shamrock Rovers, they are the first Irish team to get this far.

Huge night for Irish football. Massive result.


http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2011/0825/sharmrockrovers_partizanbelgrade.html

Partizan Belgrade 1-2 Shamrock Rovers (agg 2-3)

Thursday, 25 August 2011 22:19
Shamrock Rovers have made Irish soccer history by becoming the first club to reach the group stages of the Europa League.
Hoops came into the tie one-a-piece on aggregate and went behind to Partizan Belgrade when Vladimir Volkov rose from a corner, ahead of Enda Stevens, and headed home with Ryan Thompson flat-footed behind his line.
But Hoops fought back with bravery, equalising with a sensational first-time volley from Pat O'Sullivan that sailed into the corner of the net from 30 yards.

The tie went to extra-time and Rovers won it with a Stephen O'Donnell penalty, after Karl Sheppard was brought down by Partizan keeper Radisa Ilic.

BOHtox

That's news to me. Really?

dreamers75

Deserves its own thread tbh.

*****

The_Kew_Tour

Great night for the LOI fan, for the fans who turn up on cold night, for fans who gave this league a chance and for those who never gave up on their team...

It's a win for Rovers, Its a win for the league, but most important it's a win for LOI fans all around country

PauloMN

Done the country proud. Absolutely delighted for the fans.

Professional Griefer

Thats some goal! Well done Rovers!

GLaDOS

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

but most important it's a win for LOI fans all around country

Yeah I love other teams having massive financial advantages

Tusky

Not a LOI fan but well done to the club, the league and most of all to the fans. Incredible achievement!

n32

i m delighted that rovers were the irish club to make the big breakthrough. after the nomadic existence, the constant threat of being wound up and the years of uncertainty. the fans who didnt let the club go under and fought to keep it going really deserve what happened tonight. this is probably one of the biggest nights in irish football history

The_Kew_Tour

ScienceNerd wrote: »

Yeah I love other teams having massive financial advantages

:rolleyes:

Pedro K

I am ecstatic tonight.

pablomakaveli

Whats great about this is that Rovers have made the breakthrough without spendning money they dont have on over inflated wages, like many clubs were doing a few years ago.

Your Airbag

Lets hope it raises the profile of LOI both internationally and here at home. If Rovers have a cracking run it could inspire a whole new generation of youngsters to step away from there Playstations and X factor etc and to get on a pair of football boots and become the future generation of the league and national team.

Some grass roots development from the FAI in the coming years could work wonders if timed and deployed correctly.

BOHtox

It's the end of a competitively fought League for at least a decade.

mike65

I'd just like to say well done to the national broadcaster for bringing this to a downtrodden nation.

(Ireland 1 - 0 Scotland)

Frisbee

Your Airbag wrote: »

Lets hope it raises the profile of LOI both internationally and here at home. If Rovers have a cracking run it could inspire a whole new generation of youngsters to step away from there Playstations and X factor etc and to get on a pair of football boots and become the future generation of the league and national team.

Some grass roots development from the FAI in the coming years could work wonders if timed and deployed correctly.

Johnny?

poolboy

Well done rovers not a fan of the club or the league but fair play

Kirby

Delighted for LOI fans.

Brilliant result but a big dollop of luck in it. Thompson klobbered one of their players and should've had a penalty awarded against him. And the Rovers peno in extra time was an awful dive. No contact at all.

The Belgrade lads won't be happy

ballsymchugh

ScienceNerd wrote: »

Yeah I love other teams having massive financial advantages

just like that other place... what's this it's called....

oh yeah.

spain.

Your Airbag

Frisbee wrote: »

Johnny?

Haha, afraid not. :pac:

Just seems like an obvious thing to do given such a good oppurtunity. Biggest night in Decades. Who knows when it will happen again.

pablodunlop

Ix Deadmau5 wrote: »

Thats some goal! Well done Rovers!

Messi and Ronaldo me Bollix

Pat Sullivan is your only man. !!

lol

CSF

ballsymchugh wrote: »

just like that other place... what's this it's called....

oh yeah.

spain.

Your point? Seriously, it would be ideal if the barstoolers could go away please.

Kinetic^

Great result for Rovers and Irish football.

Your Airbag

ballsymchugh wrote: »

just like that other place... what's this it's called....

oh yeah.

spain.

This could be applied to any big league in fairness.

Crann na Beatha

This post has been deleted.

Headshot

A wonderful accomplishment

mike65

Last seasons numbers -

All 48 sides in the group phase were entitled to a participation fee of €640,000 plus €360,000 in match bonuses – comprising €60,000 per group game played. In addition, performance bonuses were paid: €140,000 per win and €70,000 per draw in the group stage.

So then a 1,000,000 euro just for being in the group stages and there is no reason to think Rovers can't draw or win a game or two.

Vincent Vega

Kirby wrote: »

Brilliant result but a big dollop of luck in it. Thompson klobbered one of their players and should've had a penalty awarded against him. And the Rovers peno in extra time was an awful dive. No contact at all.

The Belgrade lads won't be happy

In fairness, the referee didn't really give Rovers anything for most of the match.
Most any decision was given to the home team.
Medo for Partizan should have also been sent off well before he was, nearly broke a guys leg.
Another one of their players got a free kick and a Rovers player got a yellow after he elbowed the Rovers guy in the head

So it was nice to see two decisions go their way in the end

Congratulations Rovers

ballsymchugh

CSF wrote: »

Your point? Seriously, it would be ideal if the barstoolers could go away please.

my point is why focus on what's happening all over the place, most noticeably spain, after a game that should be appreciated for the result?

deisedude

The sour grapes from some people complaining that Shamrock Rovers will now have a financial advantage is sickening. Shamrock Rovers have earned it if thats the case coming from near extinction to where they are today. Fair enough if they had an Arab sugardaddy bankrolling them, then you would have cause for complaint

Probably the greatest day for the league of Ireland and all some people can do is complain.

mal1

I keep thinking Ray Houghton and Italy when i watch Sullivan's goal. It's Reeling in the Years stuff.

CSF

deisedude wrote: »

Probably the greatest day for the league of Ireland.

And how would you know?

Frankie Lee

How long before jumps on the bandwagon

Augmerson

****ING GET IN COME ON THE REPUBLIC! ROVERS IN EUROPA! DRUNK AS **** YEAAAAH!

CSF

Frankie Lee wrote: »

How long before jumps on the bandwagon

Like half the posters in here?

Your Airbag

CSF wrote: »

And how would you know?

Christ, cant we all just enjoy this?

deisedude

CSF wrote: »

And how would you know?

Petty:rolleyes: Am i not entitled to an opinion?

Cypher_sounds

I think Rovers are well capable of putting it up to a lot of those sides that are in the draw for the group stages.

Would love it if they get an english side and beat them.

CSF

Your Airbag wrote: »

Christ, cant we all just enjoy this?

Rovers fan?

CSF

deisedude wrote: »

Petty:rolleyes: Am i not entitled to an opinion?

You are and you've had a long time to express it.

noodler

Well ****ing done Rovers.

Tense game, guaranteed 4 games? Hope they get some great ties.

Frankie Lee

noodler wrote: »

Well ****ing done Rovers.

Tense game, guaranteed 4 games? Hope they get some great ties.

6 games:)

ballsymchugh

deisedude wrote: »

The sour grapes from some people complaining that Shamrock Rovers will now have a financial advantage is sickening. Shamrock Rovers have earned it if thats the case coming from near extinction to where they are today. Fair enough if they had an Arab sugardaddy bankrolling them, then you would have cause for complaint

Probably the greatest day for the league of Ireland and all some people can do is complain.

it's not just that though, you have to be an ardent LOI fan now to congratulate them. already this thread has descended into a LOI vs everyone else.

IvySlayer

\o/

Turned down an offer to watch a stream with friends, but decided better due to having teeth removed and needed rest. I didn't even watch the penalty!!! I couldn't....when the final whistle blew I ran all the way to a friends house and back, screaming :P

Voice is borked but I don't care :pac:

Kirby

CSF wrote: »

And how would you know?

CSF wrote: »

Like half the posters in here?

CSF wrote: »

Rovers fan?

CSF wrote: »

You are and you've had a long time to express it.

shut up.

Don't be a begrudger. Nobody likes them.

keano_afc

Really delighted for Rovers, to a man they stood up to be counted when it mattered.

Also wanted to say that the performance of the ref should be looked at. It was obvious Rovers were not meant to win that, and I was staggered he even gave the penalty. I thought the days of Irish clubs being robbed on the continent were gone but we came close to the bad old days tonight.

noodler

Frankie Lee wrote: »

6 games:)

Group of 5?

Frankie Lee

4 teams, home and away matches

CSF

Kirby wrote: »

shut up.

Don't be a begrudger. Nobody likes them.

I'm not begrudging Shamrock Rovers, I'm calling out those individuals who've never given the LOI a sniff before now.

Your Airbag

CSF wrote: »

Rovers fan?

Waterford United F.C. if you must know but Rovers have done Irish football proud tonight so they get my congrats.

Is that agreeable my leige?