Shamrock Rovers will be without key centre back Lee Grace for the second leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League tie against Flora Tallinn.

The 28-year-old stopper was a notable absentee for the first leg in Estonia last Thursday, which the Hoops lost 4-2, leaving themselves a big challenge for the home leg.

Head coach Stephen Bradley revealed the bad news at a press conference on Tuesday morning.

“Lee will miss the game. He’ll be another week or two I’d say. It’s a thigh, he’s had it for a number of weeks," said Bradley.

“He’s had a dead leg and he’s been going game to game and after the game in Albania (versus Teuta in the third qualifying round), it was very sore.”

24 August 2021; Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Bradley poses for a portrait during a Shamrock Rovers press conference at Tallaght Stadium in Dublin ahead of the second leg of the UEFA Europa Conference League tie against Estonian club Flora Talinn. Photo by Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile

The injury meant that Sean Hoare started for the Hoops for the first time in Europe since the first leg of their Champions League tie against Slovan Bratislava, in a back three alongside Roberto Lopes and Joey O'Brien.

If Grace's recovery takes at least a week it would also mean that he will miss the trip to Dalymount Park this Sunday, when Rovers take on arch-rivals Bohemians in the second round of the FAI Cup.

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