Shamrock v TNS: Saints eye back to back European wins

Saints secured a historic first league phase victory in the Uefa Conference League with a 2-0 success over Astana from Kazakhstan at Shrewsbury Town’s Croud Meadow last month.

The result lifted them to 19th place in the 36-team league table - above such proven European performers as Real Betis, Panathinaikos and FC Copenhagen - in the race to qualify for the next stage of the competition.

Saints will follow up tonight’s match in the Irish capital by facing Swedish club Djurgarden and then Panathinaikos from Greece in Shrewsbury, before travelling to Slovenia to play Celje in their final league phase fixture.

Shamrock - who lost out to Shelbourne in their quest to be crowned League of Ireland champions last Friday night - are currently tenth in the Conference League standings after collecting four points from their opening two fixtures. 

Saints have already played Fiorentina in the league phase - they performed well before losing 2-0 in Italy - and have Greek giants Panathinaikos to come next month, but goalkeeper Connor Roberts feels tonight’s fixture “will be our toughest game.”

Roberts said: "I just feel like there’s a little bit of pressure on to do well in the game and potentially get a result, whereas when you go into Fiorentina, you’re almost expecting to get beat, aren’t you, and you’re almost trying to keep the score down.“I do think this will be our toughest game just in terms of, I think Shamrock, by the looks of things, are good in all departments really.

“They’re physical, good off set plays, good at keeping the ball, individual quality, so, yes, I just think this will be our toughest game.”

Looking ahead to the match at the Tallaght Stadium, Roberts added: “I think they’ve just lost the league, haven’t they, the weekend, it went to the last game and Shelbourne ended up pipping them

“But I just think when you’re coming into a different competition, I do think that all changes and I don’t think that really takes its toll on the players because at the end of the day they are going well in this competition and I feel that their confidence and spirit will be up anyway.

“I know they’ve just lost the league - I get that - but I do feel they’ll be right at it.”