Johnny Kenny scored twice as Shamrock Rovers secured a spot in the knockout stage of the Conference League with a 3-0 win over Borac Banja Luka at Tallaght Stadium.

The unbeaten Hoops – whose domestic season ended last month – already had one foot in the next round after victories over Larne and The New Saints as well as draws with APOEL Nicosia and Rapid Vienna.

And Stephen Bradley’s side never looked back after Kenny headed them into an early lead, before setting up Neil Farrugia for a tap-in early in the second half and then doubling his account for the night with a nonchalant chipped finish.

Rovers sit sixth and with a one-point cushion heading into their final game of the league phase at Chelsea.

Even if they drop out of the top eight and so not straight into the last 16, they will still progress to the play-offs and so are the first League Of Ireland team to reach the knockout stages in a major European competition.

Bosnian champions Borac – who had won two matches and drawn one so far – made a bright start in Dublin.

Sandi Ogrinec’s cross from the right found Stefan Savic at the edge of the box and his shot was saved by Leon Pohls.

Rovers, though, soon started to dominate possession and took the lead in the 12th minute.

Joshua Honohan got away down the left and his cross bounced through the penalty area to Darragh Burns on the far side.

Burns was given plenty of space to look up before lofting the ball back for Kenny to head into the bottom corner.

The Hoops went close again in the 26th minute when Dylan Watts sent a 20-yard free-kick over the wall, which Borac goalkeeper Filip Manojlovic tipped away for a corner.

Borac again looked sharp from kick-off for the second half as Ogrinec fired a shot over from just outside the box.

The visitors, though, were soon undone on the break as this time Kenny turned provider in the 56th minute.

The on-loan Celtic forward burst clear and rode a couple of challenges as he surged into the right side of the area before drawing the goalkeeper and clipping an unselfish pass back across the six-yard box, where Farrugia tapped into an empty net at the far post.

Any Borac hopes of a recovery were ended in the 64th minute when Kenny beat the offside trap onto a long pass down the centre from Markus Poom – and produced a nerveless chip over Manojlovic.

Rovers substitute Aaron Greene almost added a late fourth when his rising angled drive was palmed away by Manojlovic at the near post.