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By ROBERT SUMMERSCALES and KIERAN GILL AT STAMFORD BRIDGE   Published: 05: 11 AEDT, 20 December 2024 | Updated: 08: 58 AEDT, 20 December 2024 40 View comments Follow Mail Sport's live blog for the latest score, team news and updates as Chelsea host Shamrock Rovers in the Europa Conference League.   By Robert Summerscales Chelsea win the league phase of the UEFA Europa Conference League with a perfect six wins out of six. The Blues progress to the round of 16, while Shamrock must settle for a place in the playoffs after finishing 10th. By Robert Summerscales So nearly a second goal for Shamrock as Daniel Cleary gets in behind Chelsea. Cleary's is blocked. The rebound falls to Graham Burkes, who can't beat the keeper from close range. By Robert Summerscales Cesare Casadei gets into a promising position inside the Shamrock penalty area but he squanders the opportunity by fouling Lee Grace. By Robert Summerscales Chelsea make their fourth change of the night as Samuel Rak-Sakyi replaces Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. By Robert Summerscales Loud penalty appeal for Shamrock but the referee says no. There is no VAR so that decision is final. The Shamrock players and fans are not happy. But replays show that any foul by Harrison Murray-Campbell, if indeed there was one, took place outside of the 18-yard box. By Robert Summerscales Another Shamrock player will get to grace the Stamford Bridge turf as on comes Darragh Nugent for Gary O'Neil. By Robert Summerscales Nearly 6-1. Great work by Harvey Vale to set up fellow Chelsea sub Joao Felix, who powers a shot just wide. By Robert Summerscales The game has fizzled out a bit. More subs now as Shamrock take off top scorer Johnny Kenny and Neil Farrugi to make way for Graham Burke and Aaron Greene. By Robert Summerscales Goalscorer Poom applauds the Shamrock fans as he is subbed off. Those fans are still making the majority of the noise, despite their team losing 5-1. Dylan Watts. also leaves the field as Daniel Mandroiu and Jack Byrne come on. By Robert Summerscales Roberto Lopes has just become the second player to receive a yellow card tonight, joining team-mate Markus Poom in the book following a foul on Joao Felix. Shamrock look like they are preparing to make their first subs soon. By Robert Summerscales Two subs for Chelsea. Off go hat-trick hero Guiu and skipper Axel Disasi. On come Harrison Murray-Campbell and Joao Felix. By Robert Summerscales I told you this wouldn't finish 4-1! Marc Cucurella finds the net via the inside of the post following a sweeping team move. Guiu was involved but it ended with Nkunku teeing up Cucurella, who finished like a top striker. By Robert Summerscales Shamrock are still keen to get forward whenever possible but Chelsea are not allowing it right now. The Blues are bossing possession and the away side have barely had a kick in the last five minutes. By Robert Summerscales Joe Cole speaking on TNT Sports during the half-time interval: By Robert Summerscales Although now realistically out of this game, Shamrock have certainly not given up. They want another goal and are throwing plenty of bodies forward. This game is unlikely to end 4-1. .. . By Robert Summerscales The action has resumed, with Chelsea kicking off at the start of the second half. Chelsea have made once change, with Harvey Vale replacing Noni Madueke. By Kieran Gill At Stamford Bridge There's been talk of Marc Guiu leaving on loan in January, possibly for Sevilla. He's only 18, so could do with regular football, and his first-half hat-trick tonight has been very well taken. But I can't see him leaving. They've got Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku, sure, but you're only ever an injury or two from getting the likes of Guiu. By Robert Summerscales His first two may have been gifted to him by defensive errors but he still took them very well. The 18-year-old third goal then came courtesy of a fine header. Has he earned a proper run out in the Premier League? By Robert Summerscales Possession percentage: Chelsea 79-21 Shamrock Shots: Chelsea 13-2 Shamrock On target: Chelsea 7-2 Shamrock Yellow cards: Chelsea 0-1 Shamrock Corners: Chelsea 6-2 Shamrock GOALS: CHELSEA 4-1 SHAMROCK By Robert Summerscales There was the slimmest of chances that Shamrock could get back into this game until Guiu wrapped up his hat-trick in stoppage time. The Irish side have done okay but Chelsea's B team have been way too strong. Shamrock's unbeaten run in the Conference League will end tonight, while Chelsea's perfect start will continue. By Robert Summerscales Hat-trick for Guiu! He gets his head on the end of a cross from Noni Madueke and Chelsea are home and dry. What a first half from the former Barcelona starlet. By Robert Summerscales Chelsea really have their tails up now. This could get ugly for Shamrock if Chelsea maintain their current intensity throughout the second half. By Robert Summerscales Cucurella threads a pass into Nkunku, who loses the ball under pressure from two defenders. It falls kindly for Dewsbury-Hall to smash home from just inside the penalty area. Chelsea fans sing: 'Are you Tottenham in disguise? ' By Robert Summerscales DEJA-VU! Marc Guiu scores his second goal of the game and, just like his first, it is the product of a poor backpass. Credit to the youngster, whose finish was excellent. But that was very sloppy by Daniel Cleary. By Kieran Gill At Stamford Bridge It felt as if we were waiting for Chelsea to score and they were helped by Shamrock Rovers. An attempt at heading back to the goalkeeper only led to the ball flying over Leon Pohls and the home side's striker Marc Guiu gladly accepted the gift. But then, plot twist, an equaliser! Rovers make it 1-1 via a corner as Markus Poom's shot deflects in via Cesare Casadei. By Robert Summerscales Shamrock scorer Markus Poom, who is the son of former Derby goalkeeper Mart Poom, is the first player booked today. Poom is cautioned for a poor tackle in midfield. By Robert Summerscales What a response and what a moment for Shamrock Rovers. Johnny Kenny forces a fine save out of Filip Jorgensen, who pushes the ball behind for a corner. That corner is flicked on to Markus Poom, who smashes home with his left foot. By Robert Summerscales The Blues lead thanks to an early Christmas gift. Shamrock keeper Leon Pohls comes out to collect a through pass but team-mate Lee Grace gets to the ball first and heads it back towards his own goal. The keeper is no longer there, but Marc Guiu is and he nods it into an empty net. By Robert Summerscales We've had an early interruption lasting a few minutes when a Shamrock Rovers fan who presumably smuggled in a 24-pack of toilet rolls began raining them down on Christopher Nkunku as he prepared to take a corner. Rovers should have just scored via Johnny Kenny, the striker on loan from Celtic, as he only needed to tap in the cross. He messed up the chance. That's been the visitors' only opportunity in this game. By Robert Summerscales Chance for Shamrock! They've barely had a kick but the Irish side just came very close to taking the lead. A cross from Marc Cucurella's side of the pitch is just inches too far in front of Johnny Kenny, who looks gutted. By Robert Summerscales Chelsea are dominating the game on the pitch but it is still the Shamrock fans making most of the noise in the stands. However, Blues supporters have just started a rendition of 'God Save the King'. By Robert Summerscales Chelsea win the game's first corner, the taking of which is delayed as Shamrock fans throw ticker tape at taker Nkunku. After a long wait, Nkunku's delivery causes trouble but Shamrock clear for a corner on the other side, where Chelsea fans are not armed with ticker tape. The second corner is well dealt with by the Irish side. By Robert Summerscales Chelsea make an early venture into the Shamrock penalty area as Marc Guiu runs at Roberto Lopes, who makes a fine standing tackle. Josh Acheampong then lets fly with the first shot of the game, which is way off target. By Kieran Gill At Stamford Bridge Shamrock Rovers' supporters are definitely up for this - they're the ones making all the noise inside of Stamford Bridge 'You're only here to see the Rovers, ' they're currently singing. Interested to see how Noni Madueke does tonight as if he's to get into the Premier League XIs, he needs to start proving why. By Robert Summerscales Shamrock get the first half underway. The fans are in good voice early on, especially those in green and white. By Robert Summerscales Both sides looked sharp in the warm-up and the stadium is looking festive thanks to some impressive Christmas lights. Kick-off is just five minutes away. Let's hope for a cracker! By Robert Summerscales Former Chelsea star Joe Cole on TNT Sports: By Robert Summerscales Shamrock manager Stephen Bradley has recently been linked with the Millwall job. Reacting to that speculation, former Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given said on TNT Sports: By Robert Summerscales Shamrock are managed by former Chelsea youth player Stephen Bradley, who has expressed his excitement ahead of tonight's game at Stamford Bridge. Bradley has also been speaking highly of Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca. By Robert Summerscales There are a lot of police officers around Stamford Bridge tonight. Seemingly wary of potential trouble, the police decided to escort away fans into the stadium. By Robert Summerscales Five of Shamrock's 11 Conference League goals this season have been scored by on-loan Celtic striker Johnny Kenny. The 21-year-old, capped by Ireland at U18 and U21 levels, is currently the joint leading scorer in this season's tournament, along with Chelsea's Christopher Nkunku and Afimico Pululu of Jagiellonia Białystok. Kenny joined Celtic from Sligo Rovers in 2021 and has so far scored one goal in two games for the Scottish giants. He is currently in his second loan spell at Shamrock and has so far netted 26 times in 74 matches for the Irish outfit. By Robert Summerscales This is only Shamrock Rovers' fifth competitive game against a club from England. They lost 6-0 and 3-2 to Manchester United in the European Cup in 1957, before getting beat 3-1 and 4-0 by Tottenham in the Europa League in 2011. By Robert Summerscales Shamrock Rovers XI: Pohls, Honohan, Lopes, Grace, Cleary, Watts, O’Neill, Poom, Burns, Farrugia, Kenny Subs: Steacy, A Noonan, Mc Eneff, Greene, Burke, Kavanagh, Nugent, Clarke, Mandroiu, O’Sullivan, Byrne, C Noonan By Kieran Gill At Stamford Bridge Josh Acheampong and Tyrique George are the academy kids starting for Chelsea tonight with a load more on the bench. Tosin Adarabioyo is on the bench despite him doing yesterday’s pre-match press conference - I suspect he was chosen as he’s the most senior person involved who could have fielded our questions on Mykhailo Mudryk. By Robert Summerscales Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has made nine changes to his starting XI that began the 2-1 win over Brentford at the weekend. Acheampong and George start in Europe again, while Marc Cucurella plays because he is suspended for the next domestic game. Noni Madueke is the only other player to keep his place following the Brentford match. By Robert Summerscales Chelsea XI: Jorgensen, Acheampong, Disasi, Veiga, Cucurella, Casadei, Dewsbury-Hall, Madueke, Nkunku, George, Guiu Subs: Sanchez, Bergstrom, Tosin, Murray-Campbell, Dyer, Rak-Sakyi, Vale, Sancho, Neto, Felix, Mheuka By Robert Summerscales Shamrock Rovers, from Tallaght in South Dublin, are 125 years old. They have been champions of Ireland a record-breaking 21 times but missed out to Damien Duff's Shelbourne in the 2024 season. Their latest European campaign began in July when they beat Iceland's Vikingur 2-1 over two legs in the Champions League But a 6-2 aggregate defeat by Sparta Prague knocked them down to the Europa League qualifiers, where they lost 6-0 to Greek side PAOK Salonika. Since dropping into the Conference League, Shamrock have been flying and are currently fifth in the overall table. They have drawn 1-1 with Apoel Nicosia and Rapid Vienna, as well as beating Larne 4-1, The New Saints 2-1 and Borac Banja Luka 3-0. By Lewis Browning Someone who will almost certainly be in action tonight is Josh Acheampong. The young star had been in a contract stand-off for a while, but he has now agreed a new deal which runs until 2029. One to watch for sure. By Lewis Browning It will of course be a Chelsea B team tonight, as it has been all season in this competition. That hasn't stopped them getting results, though. They have so far beaten Gent 4-2, Panathinaikos 4-1, Noah 8-0, Heidenheim 2-0 and Astana 3-1. It will surely be another win tonight for the heavy, heavy favourties to win this competition. By Lewis Browning Back again! Hello one and all and welcome to Mail Sport's live coverage of Chelsea vs Shamrock Rovers from Stamford Bridge. An interesting one, this. It should again be routine for Chelsea, who top the group with a perfect record, but Rovers have been decent too, so we'll see what sort of fight they can put up tonight. Team news is on the way. 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