Former SPFL hitman fires minnows to Euro history as Celtic loanee shines in 'derby'
Man of many clubs is shining once against for Welsh side TNS
Scottish striker Declan McManus helped The New Saints create Welsh football history as he scored in a 2-0 Europa Conference League win over Astana.
The 30-year-old has been at TNS since 2021 following spells in the SPFL with Aberdeen, Alloa, Morton, Raith Rovers, Dunfermline Athletic, Ross County and Falkirk and has played a big part in the Welsh Premier League side’s progression to group stage European football.
Their victory over Kazakh outfit Astana at TNS’ temporary Croud Meadow base in Shrewsbury was the first time a team from Wales has won a group game in a major European competition.
Rory Holden’s header five minutes before the break paved the way for a historic Conference League victory, which was wrapped up in the final quarter after Branimir Kalaica handled a powerful shot from substitute Adam Wilson. McManus sent his 78th penalty down the middle as Aleksandr Zarutskiy dived to his right, and there was no route back for the Kazakhstan visitors after that.
“If we keep putting in performances like that and keep clean sheets we’ll ask questions and see where that takes us,” said their manager Craig Harrison, whose Welsh champions lost their opening game away to Italian giants Fiorentina 2-0.
“We want to get as close to seven points as possible. We think that may be enough to qualify with a good goal difference. We lost 2-0 in Fiorentina and that could be the difference between getting through to the top 24.
“I think seven points and a good goal difference will do. Eight points definitely. If we get seven points we’d be really disappointed if we didn’t make that top 24.”
There was also a slice of history made at Windsor Park as teams from the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland met for the first time in a European group-stage tie, with Celtic loanee Johnny Kenny scoring as Shamrock Rovers won 4-1 at Larne in the Conference League.
A devastating opening half-hour from Rovers saw them coast to victory in Belfast, netting three goals in the first 30 minutes.
Strikes from Joshua Honohan and 21-year-old Kenny, who is on a season-long loan from Celtic, and a Thomas Cosgrove own goal put the League of Ireland champions in control, and Graham Burke killed the game in the second half after Christopher Gallagher scored for Larne.
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