The full-time reaction from the Tallaght crowd brought with it the range of emotions that tends to accompany that old Irish football curse, the dreaded moral victory.

Pride that Stephen Bradley’s charges rose to a stiff challenge and produced their best performance of 2021 in their most important game. But there were regrets and recriminations arising from the build-up to the goal from Vladimir Weiss that ultimately settled this encounter and sent the Hoops out of the Champions League.

Giddiness hung in the air after Rovers found the two-goal lead they needed to level this tie up.

However, it was punctured as an apparent foul on Roberto Lopes went unpunished and the passage of play ended with ex-Man City and Rangers winger Weiss dropping the shoulder and curling the ball beyond Alan Mannus.

It means Rovers will have to continue their European campaign in the new Europa Conference League.

Bradley admitted that it would have been ‘game over’ for the Hoops if Weiss, back from Euro 2020 duty, had managed to find a way past Alan Mannus with his injury time penalty in the first leg.

Buoyed by that let-off, Rovers started this game at a level above last week and, in truth, the majority of their domestic performances this term. It yielded them a lead goal, with risk taking and braver passing in the opposition half at the heart of it.

Holding midfielder Gary O’Neill was on point with his first half distribution and he was central in the lead-up to the penalty area foul by Slovan skipper Vasil Bozhikov on Graham Burke that roused the 1,500 natives permitted to attend this fixture. Burke dusted himself down to finish confidently.

The volume went up a notch and a Slovan team with 284 international cap between them endured a few testing moments in the aftermath, although they quickly flipped that pressure to the other end where a fine double save by Mannus was required.

Under the old rules, an away goal would have killed the tie, but Rovers weren’t playing that game of jeopardy here. 

From the restart, Slovan initially tried to press vigorously, which meant the challenge for the Rovers back three was to play through the press and find space. Danny Mandroiu’s inclusion in a central role gave the Hoops another technical option in deeper areas, with Burke also roaming in an attempt to get involved.

Both had started as subs last week. Joey O’Brien’s return to the defence also provided a calming presence, and he really shone in a crucial period around the hour mark where Rovers moved things up the park.

On the other side, left wing-back Liam Scales showed why his reputation is growing with a pair of sprightly breaks. Scales is attracting attention from over the water. But it was a player that has just returned who levelled things up, with Richie Towell collecting a Rory Gaffney pass and sending a right footed thunderbolt into the top corner.

Slovan boss Vladimir Weiss, the former national team manager and the father of their most recognisable player, was beginning to look uncomfortable on the sideline. His son stepped up to save the day, with Rovers fans and players crying unfair as their spirited attempt to muster a response fell short.

Shamrock Rovers – Mannus, O’Brien (Hoare 80), Lopes, Grace; O’Neill (Watts 72); Finn, Towell (Greene 83), Mandroiu, Scales; Gaffney, Burke

Slovan Bratislava – Chovan, Medvedev, Kashia, Bozhikov, Di Marco; Hrncar (Rabiu 59), Kankava, De Kamps (Abena 90), Ratao (Zmrhal 82); Weiss (Mustafic 90); Henty (Cavric 59)

Referee – Mario Zebec (Croatia)