As Shelbourne prepare to face four-time European champions Ajax at Tolka Park, they can take solace in the fact their dreams and the two-legged Conference League qualifying tie are still alive.
Daniel Kelly will take much of the plaudits, with his low, driven rebound something from the figments of his imagination, but former Derry City goalkeeper Ed Beach was simply outstanding in a 3-1 defeat.
A penalty save was amongst six other terrific stops, and former Sligo Rovers’ boss John Russell couldn’t hide his pride in the 22-year-old Welshman post-match:
“We needed to hurt, and we did. It could have got away from us but Eddie Beach was world-class tonight. Absolutely world-class. I wanted him at the club, having seen him at Derry.”
On the topic of goalkeeping, Ajax’s loan signing of Barcelona’s Marc Andre Ter Stegen could make life even tricker for Shels, with the German taking his place on the bench in Amsterdam last week, before keeping a clean sheet on debut in a 2-0 at Zwolle at the weekend.
Fellow German international Julian Brandt scored on debut in that same affair, another new signing who will be eager to rubber stamp mission impossible for Russell’s men.
Bohemians meanwhile have a tricky task at hand, as they seek to overturn a 2-0 deficit in Denmark, also in Conference League qualification.
FC Midtjylland will provide the opposition, a team who were unbeaten against Celtic and Nottingham Forest in last season’s Europa League, with Roma inflicting their only group stage defeat as they made the last 16 of Europe’s second tier club competition.
Read more: Another European glamour tie for Shelbourne awaits in Amsterdam
Jakob Poulsen and former Celtic defender Erik Sviatchenko are amongst the Danes most famous sons, with the current squad boasting former Bournemouth and Napoli star Philip Billing.
Guinea Bissau born Franculino Djú and attacking midfielder Valdemar Byskov Andreasen scored the goals in either half in Dublin last week, though manager Alan Reynolds is bullish about his side’s chances, with Dawson Devoy back from suspension:
“They have so much quality and one bit of magic can cut you open. We had chances (the last day) and we were dangerous on the counter but the bigger thing is to be clinical.
“At the beginning of the second half we were strong and went toe-to-toe with them. It is a free shot and we’ll see what they are like at home if they concede one.”
Shamrock Rovers, meanwhile, look good for a Conference League group stage spot at the very least, as they take a 3-1 lead to Albanian side Ergnatia in Europa League qualifying, with Cape Verde World Cup hero Pico Lopes on the scoresheet last week in Tallaght.
Progression would secure European group stage action of some kind for the third successive season, with Norwegian side Lillestrom awaiting.
