Shamrock Rovers European campaign for 2023 hangs by a thread after a disastrous night in the Hungarian capital against Ferencvaros.

Rovers started well but once the momentum shifted it never came back, with a tough Mannus mistake and a Ramirez goal putting the hosts 2-0 up at the break.

Within seconds of the restart, all of Bradleys half time work was undone with Ramirez providing this time to Adama Traore who made no mistake. Adama turned provider for the fourth with Varga adding the fourth with ease.

For Rovers now, the task of overturning this scoreline will require a miracle, as Tallaght stadium looks to potentially host its last European game of the season next Thursday.

Despite the raucous atmosphere, it did not phase the Hoops as they opened the better of the two sides. Liam Burt who had a point to prove finally getting a starting berth had the first effort on target, dribbling through the backline but keeper Dibusz was out quick to snuff out the shot. Rovers did earn a couple of successive corners but did not trouble much apart from Burt again, who had a half chance with a volley that sailed over.

Despite the dominant opening ten minutes, it was the away side who took the lead after a couple of minutes sustained pressure themselves. Back to back corners that Rovers didn’t escape from left Daivd Siger with a pot shot from the edge of the area that struck Lopes and looped towards goal. Alan Mannus struggled with the awkward flight of the ball and the pressure around him and could not clear his lines, knocking the ball back into the net to give the home side the advantage.

From there it was all one way traffic, Ferencvaros really turned up the pressure and the Hoops could not get over the halfway line. Constant pressure from the hosts led to turnovers and shortly afterwards, the home side broke through again.

No doubt about the scorer of this one as Ecuadorian International Cristian Ramirez picked up the ball at the edge of the box and with a moment of real quality took one touch out of his feet and struck off his right low and hard, beating Mannus down to his right as the Hoops were beginning to feel their European campaign for 2023 vanish.

Getting in at half time was the aim at this point. With Bradley having to get the message of calm across from the sideline as his side were getting more and more erratic in their defensive play.

The aim for the second half had to be to keep the tie alive, and within 90 seconds, it was dead. Scorer of the second goal Cristian Ramirez put in a peach of a cross to Adama Traore, leaving the Mali man an easy task of heading up to put the hosts 3-0 up.

As the half wore on, the hosts understandably dropped their intensity but it allowed them to play more free and fancy and with the mood they were in absolutely every flick and trick was coming off.

With 15 on the clock, the ball was played down the right and Adama Traore, almost as fast as the Wolves player of the same name, burned Kavanagh for pace and got an effort away which was saved but the rebound fell to striker Varga who had a simple job to tap home.

Rovers did almost respond instantly but Kenny saw his effort cannon back off the bar and as he lay face first in the grass you could feel the drain in him and his teammates.

One bright moment came ten minutes from time as Naj Razi came off the bench for the second time this week. The 16 year old making his European debut tonight in Hungary, the same country where he starred for the Irish U17’s at the European Championships earlier this year.

A real tough night for Rovers as the mid-season blip now, providing a miracle in Tallaght next week leaves their sole focus on retaining the League of Ireland Premier Division title.