Shamrock Rovers Rovers earn deserved point against Djurgardens in Europa Conference League

Shamrock Rovers secured a well-deserved point from their opening Europa Conference League group stage encounter with Djurgardens.

The Hoops had to handle a period of sustained pressure from the visitors early in the first half, with Sean Hoare on hand to clear the ball off the line.

But on balance, one point could easily have been three, as Stephen Bradley's side dominated for large periods of the second half and they will be a touch disappointed not to have broken the deadlock in this entertaining encounter.

It was a mild autumn evening in Dublin as the League of Ireland champions put their title defence on hold to compete in their opening game of the European group stages.

Yet it was the visitors who looked the most composed in the opening exchanges, knocking the ball around, moving at will into the final third, with a couple of shaky moments at the heart of the Rovers defence a slight concern for the home support at a near-capacity Tallaght Stadium.

It took just five minutes for the Swedish outfit to really test the home defence as Hjalmar Ekdal arrived unmarked at the back post to guide a fine downward header back across the face of the goal with Alan Mannus beaten by the bounce. Fortunately for the home side, Sean Hoare was on hand to clear off the line.

It took about eight minutes, but finally Rovers pushed forward, knocking the ball around and young teenage talent Justin Ferizaj the spark as they moved deep inside the Djurgardens' half. A corner would be the best that Rovers could manage, however, cleared at the front post.

Hoare would have to depart in the 11th minute through injury, with the experienced European campaigner Dan Cleary slotting into the heart of the defence.

But after that initial storm, Djurgardens'