It wasn't pretty but with a 4-0 lead from the first leg, Shamrock Rovers could afford to play a game that was more akin to a training match as they eased through to the third qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League and a meeting with Kosovan side Ballkani next Thursday with the first leg away from home.
It also means that the Rovers versus Derry City Premier Division game will now go ahead as planned in Tallaght at 7pm on Sunday evening.
It was a game that never lifted itself out of the ordinary.
The Gibraltar side, on a mission impossible, defended in numbers, content it seemed with the stalemate as they gained a measure of pride at keeping the second leg scoreless after last week's hammering,
Hoops manager Stephen Bradley, as expected, made wholesale changes from the first leg, six in total, giving midfielder Cian Barrett, son of ex-Ireland international Graham Barrett, his full debut.
In a forgettable first half, it was the visitors had the best early chance in the seventh minute as Manual Sanchez fed Jayce Olivero inside the area, but Olivero never steadied himself and ballooned his shot over the bar.
Straight from the goal kick, Rory Gaffney saw his shot rebound off the knees of the St Joseph’s keeper Bradley Banda and Danny Grant blazed the follow up over the bar when he should really have scored.
The visitors were content to defend, sitting deep. But they almost scored just after the half hour as Hoops keeper Ed McGinty had to come quickly off his line to smother a shot by Javi Forjan, put through by an excellent ball down the channel by Geovanni Barba.
Rovers began to up the pressure at the resumption and teenager Michael Noonan, who was celebrating his 17th birthday, created a chance for sub John McGovern, but his close-range header was well saved, one handed, by Banda.
Late in a game Noonan was denied what looked like a penalty as he tumbled in the area, but the Rovers appeals from players and fans alike were waved away by the referee as the game then petered out to its inevitable conclusion.
Shamrock Rovers: Ed McGinty; Gary O’Neill,Roberto Lopez © (Lee Grace 45), Cory O’Sullivan; Danny Grant, Jack Byrne (Sean Kavanagh 63) Aaron McEniff (Dylan Watts 63), Cian Barrett, Josh Holohan (Danny Mandroiu 63) ; Rory Gaffney (John McGovern 45), Michael Noonan
St Joseph’s FC: Bradley Banda; Leon Volz, Gabri Cardozo (Javi Paul 79), Geovanni Barba, Jace Olivero; Juan Pena (Pablo Rodriguez 60), Manuel Sanchez, Juanma ©; Mitch Gibson (Adrian Armental 45), Javi Forjan (Ethan Santos 65), Angel Martinez.
Referee: Granit Maqedonci (Sweden)
