SOCCER:MICHAEL O'NEILL is confident the expected cauldron of heat and hostility won't intimidate Shamrock Rovers in the Partizan Stadium in Belgrade tonight.

A high of 41 degrees hit the Serbian capital yesterday. And though that should drop to the mid 20s at match time tonight, the atmosphere the local fans create will ensure the visitors get a raucous reception.

Manager O’Neill is unbowed, however, by that expectation or that of the prize at stake of over €1 million minimum – as qualification for the group stages would bring. “I don’t think they will be intimidated at all,” said O’Neill. “I think as an opposition player the atmosphere will help us.

“I was here at their first game of the season. They had fantastic support. They were very, very vociferous in backing their team. But, equally, as an opposition player, I think it’s a nice thing to come in and play in that situation. I think the lads will look forward to that.

“If we look at the balance of the tie, the pressure is on Partizan. They didn’t expect to be here. They obviously expected to be in the Champions League and they are dealing with the disappointment of that. Now they’re in a tie for the qualifying round of the Europa League which is finely balanced at 1-1. So the pressure is firmly on the opposition.

“Their own supporters will be demanding that they progress to the Europa League group stages.

“As a club, we have everything to gain, the players have everything to gain, and I think the atmosphere will be something the players will relish.”

Having played second fiddle for much of the first half last week, Rovers upped the tempo in the second period and rattled Partizan more and more as the game wore on. “We looked at it again (yesterday) with the players – we have looked at where we believe we could have done better,” added O’Neill. “We will have to try and play slightly higher up the pitch than we did early last week. Certainly we did that for 60 to 65 minutes of the game and for that time we were the better side.

“Obviously we have to score to progress, but equally if we lose a goal the situation doesn’t really change – we still have to score.”

With Conor McCormack out with the knee ligament injured suffered in the first leg, O’Neill makes one enforced change with Chris Turner coming in midfield and Stephen Rice likely to slot into McCormack’s defensive midfield role. Partizan welcome back attacking midfielder Zvonimir Jukic who missed the first leg due to suspension.

“I think it’s very much possible,” said Turner of Rovers’ prospects of winning and making the breakthrough to the group stages in Europe. You have just got to look at the first game and where we got our joy. We have to try and capitalise on things like that.

“They are all very comfortable on the ball. They are definitely one of the best teams I’ve played against. At the end of the day, we’ve got to score a goal to get into the next round. And that’s what we will go out to try and do.”

The sheer technical quality of Gary McCabe’s terrific equaliser in the first leg last week at Tallaght Stadium has raised Rovers’ hopes.

“Gary’s goal has given us a massive chance,” added Turner. “It was a great goal and it shows you that they can be got at. And there were other times in the game where we could have got another goal – especially towards the end of the second-half. We had a couple of great chances, but we just didn’t manage to take them.

“I thought we had them rattled in the second half. We got on top of them and we managed to keep the pressure on until we got a goal. We were unlucky not to get another one. We’ve given them something else to worry about now. It was a great piece of skill by Gaz to get in for the goal and I think they will be worried.”

SHAMROCK ROVERS (Probable): Thompson; Sullivan, Sives, Murray, Stevens; Rice; McCabe, Turner, Finn, Dennehy; Twigg.