‘Now we take them back to Tallaght’ – Stephen Bradley upbeat after Shamrock Rovers nullify their Icelandic opponents

However, the Hoops boss admitted striker Johnny Kenny was “gutted” at missing two chances in Reykjavik that could have given the Tallaght side a first-leg win.

The winners of this tie will play Sparta Prague in the second qualifying round of the Champions League but with the guarantee of a place in the third round of the Europa League in the event of a loss there and a significant cash injection.

Rovers kept a clean sheet in an away tie in Europe for only the second time in nine games and were worthy of that draw as, apart from two early chances when they hit the post, Vikingur didn’t really threaten and Rovers, who finished with 10 men after Darragh Nugent was sent off for two bookable offences, could have nicked the win had Kenny put away his opportunities.

For Bradley, it was a much better outcome than last season’s loss to Icelandic opposition.

“We limited them to very little. You know you have to give up something and if it’s going to be corners you take it all day. We didn’t give up any clear-cut opportunities, no shots on target and yeah we’d the best chance in the game. We’re really happy with the overall performance,” Bradley said after the game.

“We knew what we were coming into here. What I liked tonight [is how] we looked like we learnt from last year and Breidablik and we knew what we were coming into. We knew where they were good, we nullified that and now we take them back to Tallaght.

“That was always the plan, take them back to Tallaght in front of our fans, we’ll have another week into the players that are coming back. It’s still a difficult game, but we’ll definitely be going to win the game next week.”

It could have been different if Kenny had scored. “He’s gutted in there. We knew how they defend when they are in possession that we could cause them real problems and Johnny did that when he came on, and I think he’s gutted, especially the one he chips over the bar.

“The first one’s not a bad effort, but the second one, I think, all he has to do is take another touch around him and it’s in. The way Johnny is playing and scoring, you’d fancy him to do that.

“But the pleasing aspect was he showed where he can really hurt them and I’m sure he’ll do that next week,” Bradley added, proud of how his subs made a mark.

“We had Darragh [Burns], Neil [Farrugia] and Johnny [Kenny] on the pitch at that point and we knew they would get impatient being at home and waiting to score, taking a lead to Dublin.

“We knew the space would be there. The game plan had worked well up to that point and if he scores, you’re delighted. But I can’t be too harsh on Johnny. He knows he should score, but he’s been brilliant for us this year.”

Bradley also hailed keeper Leon Pohls for saves early on and close to the end. “The one at the end is real bravery from him. That’s part of his growing and learning, to come like that in that situation, you can see the defenders’ reaction.

“That’s like scoring a goal for them, so it takes the pressure off, kills any momentum they were trying to build in the game.

“We know we can do that and for Leon to do that on a regular basis.”