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Date Time League Season
6 October 2022 5:45 pm UEFA Conference League 2022/23

Match Report

Shamrock Rovers struggle as Molde win comfortably in UECL

A disappointing Shamrock Rovers were brushed aside in the Europa Conference League as Norwegian League leaders, Molde, cruised past them 3-0.

This was a meeting of two teams atop of their respective domestic leagues yet there was only ever one side who were going to win this match.

Molde dominated from start to finish & Rovers can count themselves fortunate that the scoreline was only 3-0 by the end.

The floodgates opened ten minutes in when Kristian Eriksen’s teasing delivery went untouched by a static Rovers backline. It fell to Molde’s inform man, Ola Brynhidsen tucking it into the corner.

Molde penned their visitors in & had chances to extend the lead. Eriksen drove a volley just wide whilst Alan Mannus, perhaps the only Rovers player to emerge with credit, did brilliantly to prevent an Andy Lyons’ own goal.

Having somehow reached the interval trailing by just one goal, there was cautious hope that Rovers could rejig & attack a bit more to get a result.

Such hopes were immediately quashed by Molde as Brynhidsen scored his second. Again, it was poor defending by a predatory finish as a cross was unattended to & Brynhidsen powered above Ronan Finn to give the scoreline a more accurate reflection.

Just before the hour, Molde got the third strike that their play merited. This came with a large slice of luck as a cross deflected off of Lyons, struck the post & with nobody near him, home midfielder Etzaz Hussain, gleefully nodded in.

Whilst Rory Gaffney offered some long overdue attacking impetus when he came on, it was too little too late for Rovers. Their night best surmised by Neil Farrugia’s utterly pointless booking for a petty foul late on.

Not the start to a big week of matches that Stephen Bradley will have wanted. Shelbourne at Tallaght are up next before Molde are in town next Thursday. For their pride, if nothing else, a far better performance is required.

Molde

1Jacob Karlstrøm Goalkeeper
3Birk Risa Defender
19Eirik Haugan Defender 67'
21Martin Linnes 30 Defender
31Mathias Fjørtoft Løvik Defender
8Sivert Mannsverk Midfielder 50'
16Etzaz Hussain Midfielder 58'
24Emil Breivik Midfielder
20Kristian Eriksen Midfielder
11Ola Brynhildsen Forward 10', 49'
22Magnus Grødem 15 Midfielder
2Martin Bjørnbak Defender
4Benjamin Hansen Defender
7Magnus Wolff Eikrem Midfielder
12Alexandro Craninx Goalkeeper
15Markus Kaasa 22 Midfielder
26Oliver Petersen Goalkeeper
30Mathis Bolly 21 Forward

Shamrock Rovers

1Alan Mannus Goalkeeper
5Lee Grace Defender
6Daniel Cleary Defender
3Sean Hoare Defender
8Ronan Finn 4 Midfielder
11Sean Kavanagh 10 Defender 60'
16Gary O’Neill Midfielder
21Justin Ferizaj 23 Midfielder
22Andy Lyons Defender
9Aaron Greene 7 Forward
38Aidomo Emakhu 20 Midfielder 26'
25Leon Pohls Goalkeeper
4Roberto Lopes 8 Defender
7Dylan Watts 9 Midfielder
10Graham Burke 11 Forward
18Viktor Serdeniuk Midfielder
20Rory Gaffney 38 Forward
23Neil Farrugia 21 Midfielder
29Jack Byrne Midfielder
  • 90'

    FULL TIME: Molde with an emphatic, deserved win. Rovers, very poor

  • 83'

    SAVE: Mannus with a great stop to keep it at 3-0!

  • 79'

    Graham Burke & Dylan Watts thrown on by Stephen Bradley

  • 77'

    Gaffney has injected a little bit of attacking spirit into Rovers but its very belated & very much too little, too late

  • 67'

    Neil Farrugia on, Rovers have been outclassed tonight

  • 62'

    Goalscorer Brrynhilsen booked

  • 60'

    Kavanagh booked for a foul borne of frustration

  • 58'

    3-0! A wicked cross deflects off Lyons, smacks the post & Etzaz Hussain has a tap-in!

  • 55'

    Rory Gaffney replaces the injured Emakhu. Rovers have a mountain to climb here

  • 49'

    GOAL: Second goal for Ola Brynhildsen after Eriksen's run & shot was parried by Mannus! Awful for Rovers but finally the scoreboard reflects the dominance

  • 46'

    BACK UNDERWAY: Can Rovers get a goal?

  • 45'

    HALF TIME: Molde lead 1-0, Rovers need a more offensive reset to have a hope

  • 42'

    Linnes lofts in a teasing cross which Mannus backpedals to tip behind

  • 33'

    CHANCE: Another one goes begging for Molde, Rovers really need to get on the ball

  • 28'

    CHANCE: Erik Haugan spurns another Molde opportunity as he squirms an effort wide from a corner

  • 26'

    Quite possibly Emakhu's first touch!

  • 24'

    CHANCE: Youngster Mathias Lovik drills a flashing shot just wide as Rovers continue to be peppered by attacks

  • 22'

    SAVE: Alan Mannus tips a shot behind & Lyons is then lucky that his deflection goes wide of the post!

  • 18'

    CHANCE: Andy Lyons with a big block to stop Martin Linnes' volley going on target!

  • 17'

    Molde's ferocious pressing is keeping Rovers penned in- the rain belting down probably not helping either

  • 10'

    GOAL: Poor defending by Rovers! They just don\'t clear their lines & predatory forward Oryn Brhildsen tucks it in the corner! Molde lead

  • 8'

    CHANCE: Eriksen drills a shot wide after Lee Grace's clearance falls to him. A solid start by Rovers

  • KICK OFF

  • Rovers have gone with two up top as Aaron Greene & Aidomo Emakhu look to score Rovers' first group goal

  • TEN MINUTES TO KICK OFF

  • Good evening & welcome to FinalWhistle's coverage of Molde vs Shamrock Rovers in Group F of the Europa Conference League tonight. Kick off is at 5:45pm

Ground

Aker Stadion
Aker stadion, Julsundvegen, Røysan, Molde, Møre og Romsdal, 6413, Norway

QUB Student, passion for Sports Journalism Editor @ The Gown QUB Newspaper Reporter for @ FinalWhistle