Dylan Watts scores injury-time equaliser for Shamrock Rovers in Europa Conference League opener

Watts, part of an attacking three-man substitution made as Rovers chased the game, headed home fellow sub Jack Byrne’s corner in the 92nd minute

Shamrock Rovers 1-1 APOEL

Dylan Watts scored a sensational injury-time equaliser to give 10-man Shamrock Rovers a Europa Conference League opening night point - and an extra €133,000 in UEFA prize money.

Watts, part of an attacking three-man substitution made as Rovers chased the game, headed home fellow sub Jack Byrne’s corner in the 92nd minute.

It looked as though a red card to Neil Farrugia early in the second-half had ended their hopes of getting their league stage campaign off to a positive start.

Farrugia was shown a second yellow five minutes after half-time for a foul on APOEL dangerman Marquinhos, just outside the Rovers penalty area.

It left the wing-back regretting his petulant 42nd minute reaction to a foul on him by Xavi Quintilla. His push on the visiting full-back ensured both players saw yellow.

It was backs-to-the-wall for most of the 50 minutes prior to Farrugia’s yellow, but while Rovers were conceding plenty of possession, they weren’t coughing up any chances of note.

It didn’t take APOEL long to make their numerical advantage count and 51-time capped Cyprus international Konstantinos Laifis headed home the opener nine minutes later.

After weathering a few more storms, Rovers went all out in search of an equaliser and should have scored through Johnny Kenny.

But Watts popped up in injury-time to send the majority of the 7,111 attendance wild - and kick off Rovers’ hopes of progressing to the knockout phase a huge boost.

APOEL, with their team packed full of international players, dominated from kick-off and looked all set for victory when Laifis scored.

The Hoops fought back and were rewarded with Watts’ brilliant late header.

Such was APOEL’s early dominance that, with 10 minutes on the clock, they had claimed 70 percent possession.

Yet they had just one shot to show for their efforts; an angled Marquinhos drive that was pushed away by Leon Pohls.

That came inside the opening minute as the visitors’ slick passing created an early overload down the right.

And that was the shape of things to come, as the Hoops tried in vain to make their own mark on the game. The ball just wouldn’t stick to anyone in green and white.

APOEL had no such problems. Their passing and movement had Rovers players in knots, and their focus on raiding down the right meant Marquinhos was often unseen as he drifted in from the left.

A second opportunity for the Brazilian came in the 17th minute, but this time he dragged his shot across goal and wide of the far post.

As the first-half progressed, Rovers saw more of the ball and they took the sting out of APOEL’s blistering early play, but the warning signs were still there.

The visitors’ high press meant there were plenty of misplaced passes and twice close to half-time Josh Honohan, overworked by APOEL’s relentless attacking down his side, gave away possession in dangerous areas of the pitch.

Fortunately for the left-wing-back, neither attack amounted to anything.

And by the time the half-time whistle went, the stats reflected Rovers’ growth into the game, with 40 percent possession to the League of Ireland champions and a marked improvement in their passing accuracy.

The opening moments of the second-half took Rovers fans on a rollercoaster ride.

There was a first shot on target, a Johnny Kenny effort from Mandroiu’s tee-up, that was gobbled up by Slovenia goalkeeper Vid Belec.

And then the red card to Farrugia, who held his head in his hands, but could have few complaints, as Pignard showed him a second yellow and then a red card.

Eager to press home their numerical advantage, APOEL had men over in the box as the ball came in low from the right, but Sergio Tejera’s effort was blocked by the head of Dan Cleary.

Pohls came to the rescue for Rovers in the 58th minute when he went full stretch to keep out Laifis’s header.

From the resulting Tejera corner, however, Laifis made no mistake, as he powered between two defenders to head home the opener from close range.

On the back-foot for much of the game after that, a moment of magic by Honohan, who had switched to the right, created a glorious opportunity for Rovers to draw level.

He curled a wonderful 50-yard pass behind the defence and into the path of Kenny, whose first touch was perfect.

But instead of taking the shot that he had teed himself up for, he took a second touch, which took him wide, narrowed the angle, and allowed Belec to save comfortably at his near post.

Kenny’s night ended a few minutes later when he was replaced by Aaron Greene as part of an attacking triple substitution, with Jack Byrne and Dylan Watts also coming on.

And it was the latter two who combined to send the home fans home happy.

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