Shamrock Rovers are going back to Thessaloniki 13 years after they became the first Irish team to make the group stages in European combat after Neil Farrugia and Dylan Watts stole the Tallaght show in equal measure.
A Watts penalty and a Farrugia thunderbolt late in the first half rewarded Rovers for their best 45 minutes of the season but Zan Karnicnik deservedly levelled for the visitors with seven minutes to go.
Extra-time and a Graham Burke goal prevailed, as did the Hoops. It means that Rovers are back in the group stages of European football – at least in the third-rung Conference League or even better the Europa League if they overcome the odds again and PAOK, who host the Hoops next week, in the final qualifying round.
The win guarantees Ireland's biggest club a minimum of €3.1m and likely more with revenue sharing and potential future results.
Having been so out of sorts for much of the year, the Hoops produced by a mile their best performance of the campaign and what will encourage their fans so much is that their squad depth was key to a memorable win.
This, truly, was well up there with the best nights in Tallaght since all those years ago under Michael O'Neill.
Farrugia is so central to an efficient Shamrock Rovers – more literally this season, as Stephen Bradley has of late used him through the middle – and he ran at Celje early but his shot lacked any strength.
The crowd was rocking and Aaron Greene had his shot deflected for a corner, Cjele dangerous on the counter from it – all within the first two minutes. And Farrugia's athleticism was woeful for Celje; on 13 minutes he could have had a go at goal but perhaps wisely looked for Greene – only for the latter to have made his run too early.
Promising stuff from the Hoops, among the crowd former home favourites Gavin Bazunu and Danny Mandroiu. However, the threat of the Slovenian side was fleetingly apparent: Seán Hoare had to fashion an impressive lunge to stop Armandas Kucys from getting a shot off from near range.
The dynamic Farrugia was weighing up what to do at the edge of the box on 26 minutes when Jošt Pišek clipped him. This was perfect for Jack Byrne but he did not start and, about a yard outside the 'D', the in-form Greene saw his effort meet the wall.
With no Video assistant referee (VAR) in League of Ireland combat, what unfolded with ten minutes to go before the break took many of us by surprise; the response was delayed. Initially it looked as though Romanian whistler Ovidiu Hațegan had given a soft free out to Lovro Stubljar, which he had; however, few expected VAR to convince him that the goalkeeper had actually knocked out Greene.
It was an example of the controversial technology at its best, as was the outstanding Watts, who gracefully curled into the corner to bring the Irish champions level on aggregate.
Things got better four minutes shy of the break. It is said regularly that if Farrugia is lacking in one area it is a key one: his final strike or pass. Whether there is anything to this or whether he needs a run of matches is up for debate, as this stinging drive into the bottom corner, the defence again afraid for its life after he picked up from a Josh Honohan throw-in, was world-class.
Right at the death of an absorbing first 45, Stubljar showed his quality. Superb link-up play that showcased Darragh Nugent as Farrugia saw the latter tee up Trevor Clarke; he looked sure to score but the keeper made a fine stop with his legs.
Within two minutes of the restart, Clarke dragged the ball back into an area inviting danger; his opposite wing-back, Honohan, had lots of time but was marginally under the ball in front of the Rovers ultras.
Leon Pohls, hitherto having nothing to do, then made a smart save from substitute Žan Karničnik. By 53 minutes, the rattled visitors had already made four changes but a nice one-two involving two of those, Karničnik and Nino Kouter, saw the latter drive over – a big chance.
Celje were now dominating and a fine Lopes block – typical of the Hoops skipper – deflected Lithuanian international Armandas Kučys' effort out for a corner.
Rovers looked a shade leggy 20 minutes to go when Nugent, Greene and Farrugia broke in a three-versus-two but Greene played a poor pass to the impressive Nugent and the visitors got away with one.
The equaliser on aggregate came with seven minutes to go. Karnicnik stole in at the back-post from Kučys' hanging cross and his finish gave Pohls no hope.
Matija Kavčič would have put Celje ahead but for a Lee Grace clearance off the line and Rovers soon introduced Graham Burke with a view to extra-time – Farrugia's departure prompting everyone in Tallaght to get to his or her feet.
For all that both sides tried impressively to decide the tie before extra-time, an extra half hour was called for and Celje began really brightly, with substitute Dan Cleary making a late block as the visitors threw players forward.
Another substitute, Burke, had the Hoops back in front six minutes into the extra period. He ran at the opposition defense and there was a bit of pace to his 25-yard drive but Štubljar will wonder how he let the ball apologetically escape his grasp. The Tallaght roar was deafening.
Another sub, Richie Towell, showed his experience by scampering back to his own box to clear a dangerous Celje break.
VAR without an in-house camera is rather like a kiss from an apparition. After another substitute – Darragh Burns – hit the back of the net on the restart, he was belatedly deemed to be offside as the crowd looked at the referee when there was nothing else to observe. Watts was outstanding in the lead-up.
Yet another substitute, Corey O'Sullivan got back for a block that betrayed his youth as the click ran out. "Stephen Bradley's green and white army" earned voice from all four sides of a raucous Tallaght as Rovers saw it out, Bradley even imploring the crowd for more.
Football right up to Christmas is assured for the green and white, with visions of great nights to come, the mind already sailing next week to Byzantium.
Shamrock Rovers: Leon Pohls; Seán Hoare, Roberto Lopes, Lee Grace; Josh Honahan (Corey O'Sullivan 110), Gary O'Neill, Dylan Watts, Trevor Clarke (Dan Cleary 80); Neil Farrugia, Darragh Nugent (Richie Towell 80); Aaron Greene (Darragh Burns 91).
Celje: Lovro Štubljar; David Zec, Klemen Nemanič (Žan Karničnik 46), Damjan Vuklišević, Matija Kavčič; Mario Kvesić (Rolando Aarons 104), Jošt Pišek (Nino Kouter 53), Luka Bobičanec (Marco Dulca 46); Ivan Brnić (Luka Menalo 46), Armandas Kučys, Aljoša Matko (Edmilson Filho 78).
Referee: Ovidiu Hațegan (Romania).
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