Shamrock Rovers underdogs at Rapid but can feel footloose before Vienna waltz - Corry

Shamrock Rovers may be heavy underdogs against Rapid Vienna on Thursday but their UEFA Conference League exploits to date should allow them to go to the Austrian capital with a sense of freedom, according to former Hoops midfielder Paul Corry.

The 2-1 victory over The New Saints at Tallaght Stadium before the international break means that Stephen Bradley's side have earned seven points from a possible nine in the league phase of Europe's third tier club competition which should virtually assure them of at least a historic progression to the ensuing play-off round with three games remaining - including the 19 December trip to face Chelsea.

Rapid Vienna have a 100% record from their three games to date and are second in the Austrian Bundesliga despite a scoreless draw against WSG Tirol at the weekend.

While the 32-time Austrian champions go into Thursday's game at the Allianz Stadion as clear favourites, from a Rovers point of view the pressure will be off the 2024 League of Ireland runners-up given that their continental objectives have gone to plan with the upcoming home game against Bosnia's FK Borac Banja Luka on 12 December viewed as an opportunity to try and secure at least another point.

"They finished the season very strongly both domestically and with their results in the Conference League but you would imagine that (Rapid Vienna) is going to be a significant step up on the games that they've played against particularly Larne and TNS - and I would say even a step up on APOEL as a team to play against," Corry said on this week's RTÉ Soccer Podcast.

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"And obviously when you go on the road in Europe, it becomes that little bit