Shamrock Rovers secured a 2-1 victory over FC Ararat-Armenia in the Champions League, with first-half goals from M. Healy and A. Greene proving decisive. The home side struck early and added a second before the break, then withstood a late response from the visitors.

First-Half Dominance Sets the Tone

Shamrock Rovers opened the scoring in the 12th minute when M. Healy found the net with an assist from A. Greene. The early goal gave the hosts momentum, and they doubled their lead in the 36th minute through A. Greene, who was set up by J. Byrne. A corner for the home team in the 7th minute had already signaled attacking intent, while Ararat-Armenia registered their first corner in the 24th minute. Rovers continued to press and earned another corner before half time. The visitors struggled to create clear opportunities in the opening 45 minutes, and the score stood at 2-0 when the teams headed into the break.

Second-Half Fightback Falls Short

The second half began with Ararat-Armenia showing more urgency, though they picked up a yellow card for Junior Julio in the 50th minute. Shamrock Rovers also received a caution when R. Lopes was booked in the 58th minute. The visitors earned a corner in the 61st minute but could not convert the pressure into an immediate goal. In the 73rd minute Sandro Lima pulled one back for Ararat-Armenia, reducing the deficit to 2-1, though no assist was recorded for the strike. Rovers responded by winning a series of corners in the 76th, 79th, 83rd and 84th minutes, helping them manage the closing stages. Three more yellow cards were shown to Ararat-Armenia players in the final 20 minutes, adding to their disciplinary issues. Four minutes of injury time were played, but the visitors could not find an equalizer.

Key Statistics and Takeaways

Shamrock Rovers finished with seven corners compared to two for FC Ararat-Armenia, underlining their greater threat from set pieces. The home side received one yellow card while the away team collected three. Neither side was reduced to ten men, and no penalties were awarded. The result gives Shamrock Rovers a positive start in the competition, while Ararat-Armenia will need to improve their finishing and discipline in future fixtures. For more match insights and live scores, check AltBets.