Shamrock ease to win over St Joseph's
St Joseph's 0 - 4 Shamrock Rovers
Shamrock Rovers all but booked their place in the next round of the UEFA Conference League with a dominant first-leg victory over St Joseph’s in Gibraltar.
Author | Sean M
Stadium | Europa Point
A great night in Europe for Shamrock Rovers.
— Super News Affiliate (@sup3rnew5affiliate.bsky.social) 24 July 2025 at 21:26
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A polished attacking display saw the League of Ireland champions dismantle their opponents, with three second-half goals in quick succession effectively ending the tie as a contest. Barring an unlikely turnaround in next week’s return leg, Stephen Bradley’s side will face either Floriana of Malta or Kosovo’s Ballkani in the third qualifying round.
A closer look at what happened in Gibraltar
Rory Gaffney opened the scoring in the 13th minute with a composed finish, latching on to Dylan Watts’ lofted pass before lifting the ball over goalkeeper Bradley Banda. Despite a few early scares, the visitors gradually took control and showed the kind of quality that took them to the knockout stages of last season’s competition, where they were eventually knocked out by Molde on penalties.
St Joseph’s, who had stunned Cliftonville in the previous round, started brightly. Álvaro Rey’s free kick found Manuel Sánchez in the box, but Ed McGinty got down smartly to save. Pablo Rodríguez also threatened on the break, although his shot sailed high and wide.
Rovers, though, grew into the match and began asserting their authority. While the Gibraltarian side continued to enjoy spells of possession, they struggled to carve out clear chances as Rovers remained organised at the back.
The Irish side’s superiority became evident in a ruthless second-half burst. After Josh Honohan’s long-range strike was parried, Danny Mandroiu pounced on the rebound and saw his low shot deflected past Banda to double the lead.
READ MORE | How last year's Conference League was won
Stephen Bradley’s substitutes then combined to put the result beyond doubt. Michael Noonan delivered from the left and John McGovern, only just on the pitch, hooked in a well-taken finish. Jack Byrne added further gloss in the closing stages, curling in a fine effort from the edge of the area after a neat interchange with McGovern.
St Joseph’s came close to a late consolation, with Rey curling narrowly over and Manolín heading just wide from a corner, but the damage was already done.
With a healthy first-leg lead secured, Shamrock Rovers can now begin to turn their thoughts towards what lies beyond Gibraltar, as they aim to replicate last season’s run to the group stage.
