“It’s massive, coming up against Sparta Prague is going to be special. Liverpool knocked them out last year [in the Europa League last 16] and they’re one of the best teams in the world,” said Kenny, whose brace brought his tally up to €1.7 million. The Hoops advanced past Iceland’s Vikingur Reykjavik to reach the Champions League second qualifying round. In the process, they secured a guaranteed €1.7 million in Uefa payouts, with next Tuesday’s first leg scheduled for Tallaght.
We’ll go put ourselves to the test to see how we stack up against it. They’re a serious side and definitely a level above us, so I don’t believe it’s appropriate to say, but it’s a free hit nonetheless, so what have we got to lose?
The highest scorer for the Shamrock Rovers basketball team, Johnny Kenny, is excited for another memorable European evening. Sparta Prague, please.
Johnny Kenny of Rovers celebrates his goal against Vikingur Reykjavik. Harry Murphy/Sportsfile photo
Johnny Kenny of Rovers celebrates his goal against Vikingur Reykjavik. Harry Murphy/Sportsfile photo
Seán O’Connor
Shamrock Rovers striker Johnny Kenny feels that next week’s matchup against Czech champions Sparta Prague will be particularly memorable. The game takes place today at 02:30.
On Tuesday, Kenny’s spectacular brace in the first half was crucial as the Hoops defeated Vikingur Reykjavik of Iceland to advance to the second qualifying round of the Champions League.
In the process, they obtained a guaranteed €1.7 million in Uefa rewards; Tallaght will host the first leg of the match on Tuesday.
With the Europa League safety net in place, Stephen Bradley’s team will enter the match with that knowledge.
“As a football player, you want to play every few days, and it’s never ending. The hardest cup draw we could have gotten is Bohs, but we have to tackle it head-on,” Kenny remarked.
Meanwhile, Greg Cunningham, a local lad and former Ireland defender, has joined Galway United, marking a huge coup.
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