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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
Sport
David Irvine

Reason Rooney won't play in Valur vs St Mirren as Tanser injury update provided

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Shaun Rooney will not be involved for St Mirren in their first-leg contest against Valur.

The right-back, 27, is suspended for the UEFA Conference League tie on Thursday evening. 

Rooney - who joined St Mirren from Fleetwood Town this summer - is ineligible after a red card he received while playing for St Johnstone in Europe.

In his last appearance in Europe, Rooney was shown a red card after two cautions against LASK - within four minutes of each other in 79th and 83rd minutes - in Europa Conference League qualifying.

St Mirren assistant Diarmuid O'Carroll has confirmed Rooney will be missing, as he revealed the ban was due to expire days after the first leg.

"I think actually it expires possibly on August 1," he said. "But because we play in this round - he got suspended in the play-off round - typical. He's missing the first leg. Just the first leg."

Scott Tanser could return for St Mirren in Iceland after sitting out of the draw against Carlisle in pre-season. But, there is a nervous wait for results on Alex Iacovitti after he was forced off with a possible hamstring issue just seven minutes into his debut for the Paisley club.

"We're hoping Scott [Tanser] will train at the start of the week," said O'Carroll. For Alex [Iacovitti], we will have to look at him.

"Other than that, we've got the longer-term ones in Greg [Kiltie] and Conor [McMenamin].

"Mark [O'Hara] had a wee knock and came off as a precaution but he's fine.

"Hopefully Alex's is nothing too serious. He has done really well since he came in and adds to what we have."


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For O'Carroll, Thursday's contest will be in familiar surroundings having played for Valur for a short spell in 2010.

He explained: "I probably wasn't in the best head space when I played out there for a short period. But it was brilliant, they are a fantastic club.

"They have a small stand in a small stadium but it was a great experience for me and my now wife. We were in Reykjavik for three months and it was something different.

"We can never be confident or not confident. We will have a go at it, it will be a fantastic occasion and this is why we worked so hard last season.

"I don't think I'll get a statue there as it wasn't my best time! It was more of a life experience.

"They look really good. Technically and athleticism, they look really good. Scandinavians are very professional, they move the ball and have players who played at the top level.

"It's a good astroturf pitch. They are used to being in Europe. These Icelandic teams are in Europe every year. That's experience and different challenges. They might be ahead of us in terms of fitness.

"It's a very competitive league. People here Icelandic football and think it might not be a great level but it's a very good technical level of play."

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