Uefa Conference League playoffs, first leg: Shamrock Rovers 1 (Stevens 50) KuPS (Finland) 1 (Parzyszek 85)Shamrock Rovers usual progress to the Uefa Conference League has hit a snag. Matched physically and tactically, a scrappy goal from Enda Stevens was cancelled out by KuPS substitute Piotr Parzyszek with five minutes remaining in the first leg of this lucrative, or costly, European playoff.The draw sends Stephen Bradley’s men to Finland next Thursday short on confidence having been hammered 5-1 in Albania last week before St Patrick’s Athletic bounced them out of the FAI Cup.Rovers might have to get used to swallowing their own medicine. The price of consistency. KuPS did their homework. Miika Nuutinen, the visitor’s 34-year-old coach, employed an intense press that forced players on to their weaker foot.In particular, Nuutinen identified the damage Graham Burke can do in pockets between the lines. Their Argentinian midfielder Valentin Gasc continually snapped at his heels, making it difficult for Burke to turn and pick a pass. Even Jack Byrne’s instinct to drop deep for possession was crowded out.For the half-interested spectator, the contest looked like a boring stalemate. In fact, the Finnish tactics forced Rovers to reconfigure on the spin. KuPS are five points clear in the Veikkausliiga for a reason. The €3 million-plus Uefa prize money for reaching the Conference League will now need to be earned on an artificial pitch in Kuopio.Patience and persistence were on the menu. Bradley appeared to embrace the rules of engagement, conferring with Pico Lopes as small tweaks were introduced to beat the press. Will Fitzgerald came alive off the left, showing why Rovers paid Sligo Rovers €75,000 for the winger.Burke and Byrne did play their way into the occasion, but constant pressure led to few opportunities at either end.Shamrock Rovers' Roberto Lopes has a shot on goal during the Uefa Conference League playoff first leg match. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Precision was the name of the game. The clearest error came from Bob Nii Armah in the 19th minute when the Ghanian winger was slow to spot his captain Petteri Pennanen overlapping down the left. By the time Armah let the ball go, Lopes had read the danger and intercepted the pass.Tallaght was quieter than usual. Maybe it is the flood of “big” games or just a damp Thursday night as only 4,522 showed up.Rovers do their business differently than most clubs they encounter in Europe. Bradley’s starting 11 were all Irish-born while KuPS had three Finns, three Ghanaians and one from Austria, Argentina, the Gambia, France and their frontman Jaime Moreno is a Nicaraguan international.There were all sorts of antics around Stevens’ goal five minutes into the second half. After Dylan Watts headed Byrne’s a free-kick off the crossbar and Stevens swept in the rebound, the KuPS players surrounded Danish referee Morten Krogh claiming that French defender Brahima Magassa was fouled, seemingly by Lee Grace.VAR disagreed and the goal stood. The tables were officially turned as KuPS had to hold on to possession and break Rovers down. Bradley, perhaps sensing the need to take a 2-0 lead to Finland, made three changes on 70 minutes as Byrne, Burke and the anonymous Jonathan Afolabi were replaced by Danny Mandroiu, Michael Noonan and Aaron Greene.The introduction of two centre forwards opened space in midfield for Matt Healy and Watts as Lopes demanded more pressure on the ball, higher up the slippery surface.Both sides missed chances. Mandroiu shaped to cross only to strike a low shot off the butt of Johannes Kreidl’s post while Joslyn Luyeye-Lutumba scuffed his finish beyond Ed McGinty’s far post after beating Rovers offside trap.McGinty cannot be blamed for the equaliser after saving an initial effort from Gustav Engvall before Parzyszek rewarded Clinton Antwi’s ball back across goal. McGinty almost denied Polish striker.The result leaves Rovers on the cusp of elimination before the group stages for the first time in three years.Shamrock Rovers: McGinty; Grace, Lopes, Stevens; Sobowale (Brennan 80), Watts, Healy, Byrne (Mandroiu 69), Fitzgerald; Burke (Noonan 69); Afolabi (Greene 69). KuPS: Kreidl; Savolainen, Magassa, Nuhu, Antwi; Gasc, Touray (Engvall 77); Jyry, Pennanen (Parzyszek 58), Armah (Kujasalo 87); Moreno (Luyeye-Lutumba 58).Referee: Morten Krogh (Denmark).