After the heroics of reaching the knockouts last year, Shamrock Rovers’ Conference League story in 2025 has become a forgettable one after a frustrating night in Iceland.

Graham Burke’s opener on 32 minutes should have been the foundation for a Hoops win but they led for little longer than the goal celebration and, in notably trying conditions, they conceded an equaliser to Viktor Orn Margeirsson before Oli Omarsson’s sweet strike 16 minutes from time left the Irish side facing tepid elimination from this third-tier competition.

Substitute Kristinn Jonsson had a moment to remember when greeted by an open goal, albeit with the ball in his own half, in injury time – and he would not let up the opportunity.

With Ed McGinty scrambling after having gone up the other end for a corner, it felt like a suitably frustrating end to a poor league stage for the Hoops, who have to play out their campaign against Hamrun Spartans next week.

Rovers’ main achievement was getting to the league stage and they nearly beat AEK in Athens but otherwise this has been a tame campaign in Europe; admittedly they had a very tough draw.

Here, against the fourth-best team in Iceland, they can have few complaints.

This game was perfectly set up for entertainment apart from the weather: a draw would rule both out of progressing to the knockout stage.

Hoops manager Stephen Bradley knowing new home boss Olafur Ingi Skulason from their Arsenal days added some intrigue.Iceland is generally not as cold as its name implies but fierce winds in Reykjavik rendered this proper winter football in every way – yet barely any of the players wore gloves, in keeping with the old days.

It was Arsenal who won the race to sign Victor Ozhianvuna and the teenager started here – the biggest night of his club career so far.It felt like the pandemic era at the Laugardalsvöllur, so tiny was the attendance.

Rovers were surprised by Breidablik at the first hurdle of the Champions League qualifiers in 2023, when the Icelanders deservedly prevailed.

The wind, allied to this pair being out of season, made for a scrappy start. Matt Healy was fortunate not to have been at fault for an early concession as his pass was pounced on by Ágúst Orri Thorsteinsson, but he lacked the pace to capitalise – a let-off for the Dubliners.

Thorsteinsson did exceptionally well to burn the World Cup-bound Pico Lopes on 13 minutes and Rovers were again lucky as he dragged his shot wide, when he had an option to square it.The Hoops began to get control thereafter and Burke became increasingly prevalent.

Dylan Watts’ free-kick on 28 minutes was met by Lee Grace and his header was tipped over by Anton Ari Einarsson.Burke’s opener had Rovers leading but briefly.

Gaffney raided down the left and he found Healy who tapped the ball towards Burke; he turned on his right foot and, while Einarsson got a hand to the ball, it was not enough.What a position the Hoops were in – for three minutes. A short corner resulted in Omarsson crossing and, with McGinty flapping at the swerving ball, Margeirsson connected from a few yards.

Burke nearly put Gaffney in on 41 minutes and the ball fell for Healy, who volleyed wide.The wind was such that Burke was close to heading into his own net from a corner on 56 minutes.

He was pivotal to nearly everything the Hoops did offensively, with both Max Kovalevskis and Michael Noonan – at the other end of their careers – coming off the bench to augment his guile.

Rovers were having their best spell in the second half but this was punctured by a fine strike from the edge of the box by Jonsson.

He beat Ozhianvuna far too readily and his precise strike gave McGinty little chance.Rovers, needing two goals, instead conceded at the death, when McGinty went up for a corner, got stranded and Jonsson coolly caressed the ball home from about 50 yards, it rolling so slowly as to worsen Rovers’ misery.

Breidablik: Anton Ari Einarsson; Andri Yeoman (Kristinn Jonsson 88), Damir Muminovic, Viktor Orn Margeirsson, David Ingvarsson; Viktor Karl Einarsson (Kristinn Steindorsson 90), Arnor Jonsson, Hoskuldur Gunnlaugsson; Oli Omarsson (Gudmundur Magnusson 90), Agust Orri Thorsteinsson (Kristinn Jonsson 88), Aron Bjarnason (Kristófer Kristinsson 75).

Shamrock Rovers: Dan Cleary, Roberto Lopes, Lee Grace (Max Kovalevskis 61); Danny Grant (Michael Noonan 68), Victor Ozhianvuna (John McGovern 83), Matthew Healy, Dylan Watts (Connor Malley 83), Cory O’Sullivan; Graham Burke, Rory Gaffney.

Referee: Enea Jorgji (Albania),