Sparta Prague had too much for Shamrock Rovers as the Czech outfit easily saw off the League of Ireland side 4-1 at the Epet Arena in Prague on the opening night of the Hoops' latest Conference League odyssey.
There was plenty of effort and toil from the double-chasing Tallaght side, but a Sparta outfit full of European experience toppled Rovers who will look to match day two and a meeting at home with Celje for their first league stage points.
Two down at the break courtesy of strikes from Lukas Sadilek and Martin Suchomel, Rovers then conceded early in the second half to an Asger Sorenson header.
Danny Mandroiu netted a consolation for the Irish side, before substitute Lukas Haraslin restored the three-goal advantage in the 90th minute.
On their second visit to Prague in just over a year, Rovers made three changes from the one which overcame rivals Bohemians in front of almost 10,000 spectators at Tallaght Stadium last Friday.
Striker John McGovern's inclusion in the starting eleven ahead of Graham Burke was notable, while the inventive Mandroiu and Dylan Watts were dropped in favour of workers Darragh Nugent and Aaron McEneff.
The Dubliners' last visit to the Czech capital resulted in a 4-2 defeat to the Prague side, a result which ended Rovers' interest in last year's Champions League at the second qualifying round phase.
A well-disciplined Hoops didn't register an effort on goal until late on, but did hold Sparta at arm's length, frustrating and containing their hosts for the first half hour of this one.
Sivert Mannsverk blasted over a rushed effort from the edge of the area with space to move into on six minutes.
While Adam Sevinsky's wayward header was little more than speculative as the Czech defender nodded a Pavel Kaderabek cross over Ed McGinty's posts from distance six minutes later.
Mannsverk laced over from 18 yards after a well worked corner landed to the Norwegian midfielder and Prague went even closer on 27 minutes, when Jan Kuchta's volley on the spin deflected off Roberto Lopes before flying past the Hoops post.
Managed by Brian Priske, who replaced Arne Slot at Feyenoord when the Dutchman left for Anfield, Sparta finally broke Rovers' resolve on 33 minutes.
An uncharacteristic mistake from Roberto Lopes, who failed to deal with a dropping ball inside his own six yard box, allowed Albion Rrahmani to force his effort beyond the sprawling McGinty.
Sadilek was then left with a simple finish despite the best efforts of the returning Matt Healy on the Rovers line.
The Premier Division champions-elect fell further behind one minute before the break. Sevinsky's header from a Sparta corner was too hot to handle for McGinty who pushed the ball into the path of Suchomel who reacted quickest to fire home the hosts' second.
Leading the Czech First Division by one point after ten games, Sparta had to wait just five minutes into the second period for goal number three courtesy of another cleverly executed set-piece.
The short corner worked between Sadilek and Veljko Birmancevic resulted in the former, from the end line, clipping a cross on to the head of Prague skipper Sorenson who nodded to the net from five yards out without much fuss.
Needing something to inspire them, Stephen Bradley went for broke with a raft of changes on the hour.
Burke, Watts, Mandroiu and Michael Noonan were all introduced to the fray as Rovers sought to find some way back into this tie.
The away side looked a little more solid and settled after this, although Sparta has also withdrawn some of their more important players with a crucial early-season Prague derby to come on Sunday.
Burke pulled a first stop of the night from Peter Vindahl on 82 minutes, the resulting corner ending up with Mandroiu whose shot on the turn caught Vindahl cold. The former Bohs attacker's swivelling volley after Watts' corner was only half cleared, finding the bottom corner of the Sparta goal.
The game already decided, Sparta added gloss to their victory in the final minute when Slovakian international Haraslin tapped into an empty net to add a fourth for the victors.
Sparta Prague: Peter Vindahl; Adam Sevinsky, Asger Sorenson (Emmanuel Uchenna '59), Jarsolav Zeleny; Martin Suchomel, Pavel Kaderabek (Patrik Vydra '75); Lukas Sadilek, Sivert Mannsverk (Santiago Eneme '75); Jan Kuchta, Veljko Birmancevic (Lukas Haraslin '68), Albion Rrahmani (Garang Kuol '59).
Shamrock Rovers: Ed McGinty; Dan Cleary, Roberto Lopes, Cory O'Sullivan; Danny Grant, Darragh Nugent, (Dylan Watts '60) Matt Healy (Connor Malley '75), Aaron McEneff (Graham Burke '60), Josh Honahan; John McGovern (Danny Mandroiu '60), Rory Gaffney (Michael Noonan '60).
Referee: Atilla Karaoglan (Turkey)
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