Howzlat!
Modern football is besotted with details and tactics and reviews and learnings. But one player can still make a difference.
That man in Tallaght was Zlatan Ibrahimovic, which was hardly a surprise. Shamrock Rovers discovered that age (he's 38) hasn't dimmed the great Swede.
The Hoops did well to shackle him for most of this Europa League tie.
But the first time he wriggled free around the Rovers boss was in the 23rd minute and, with a little touch to set himself up, he whipped a right-foot shot past Alan Mannus at his near post.
Less than two minutes later he found room again, this time setting up Samu Castillejo. Aaron McEneff's brilliant goal-line clearance prevented the second.
It took the seven-time European champions until 20 minutes from time put the tie beyond Rovers, with Hakan Calhanoglu impressively putting away the goal he deserved.
But it was his veteran team-mate who still possesses the star quality in a side that has become used to battling for a place in this competition rather than for Serie A glory.
Still, it was testimony to the home side's performance that they were still in it until Calhanoglu's strike.
On another night, perhaps one or two of Aaron Greene's on-target shots would have beaten Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Greene's second attempt before the break should have been squared to Ronan Finn.
Restoring parity at that stage may have made it a very difficult night for the Italians (with nine nationalities represented in their starting line-up) in what was the first competitive game of their new season.
Imagine what the atmosphere would have been like then with 7,500 packed into the place?
There was a social media storm on the eve of the game over the massive betting company banners placed around the Tallaght Stadium stands, but they were removed on match day
Presumably it was a prank by said company to whip up a storm...which it did.
Instead, the sign that caught the eye was the Covid-19 government banner that flashed up from time to time around the sides of the pitch: 'Stay safe. Protect each other'.
It was Rovers had to do to keep their illustrious rivals at bay and they couldn't quite pull it off.
Nevertheless knowing for a change that it was they would be dominated in the possession stakes, the Hoops stayed true to their passing principles and their own game, and the players deserve a lot of credit for it.
Stephen Bradley, their manager, had asked them to enjoy the night and, result aside, they played as if they did.
Greene nabbed Zlatan's jersey at the end and now it's back to business for the Hoops, with a successful league title run to finish.
