Shelbourne boss Joey O'Brien insists Qarabag dead rubber can still be useful exercise to prepare for next Euro challenge
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RTÉ News
an hour ago
- RTÉ News
Much-changed Shelbourne exit Champions League but regain pride after narrow loss to Qarabag in Baku
Shelbourne's adventure in the UEFA Champions League came to an end with a 1-0 (4-0 aggregate) defeat to Qarabag at the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium in Baku. A James Norris own-goal was the Dubliners undoing on a night that saw Wessel Speel announce his arrival at the League of Ireland champions by saving a second-half penalty from Kady. The Reds are now into the Europa League qualifiers and are drawn to play the losers of the tie between HNK Rijeka of Croatia and Bulgarian heavyweights Ludogorets, knowing they are guaranteed a place in the Conference League play-off round. Shels were attempting the impossible trying to overturn a three-goal deficit away from home, and Joey O'Brien kept just three players from the first leg at Tolka Park. Kameron Ledwidge, Kerr McInroy, and Ademipo Odubeko all started on a night that saw Speel make his Shelbourne debut after joining the club on loan from Minnesota United. What played out was a predictable affair, with Qarabag dominating possession and the League of Ireland side focused on keeping it tight while players like Pedro Bicalho and Kady tried their luck early on. The Reds only got forward once by going long and John Martin was able to knock the ball on, but Odubeko was unable to get to it. The Republic of Ireland U21 international did get in to shoot before the half-hour mark and his effort went wide in a rare moment of attacking flurry for the Dubliners. Qarabag retaliated by strengthening their hold over the pace of the game and with that came the opening goal, from a corner and turned in by Norris in the 44th minute. Shelbourne fully went for it after the restart, beginning with a John Martin header getting cleared by the home side. Norris also got through during this burst and set up Kerr McInroy for a shot that went straight at Mateusz Kochalski. At the other end of the pitch, Emmanuel Addai went for goal from distance and was denied by a stern save from Speel in the 59th minute. O'Brien responded by making a triple substitution that bringing on Sean Boyd, JJ Lunney, and Harry Wood for Odubeko, McInroy, and Martin. Qarabağ won a penalty off a Ledwidge handball just as the trio settled and there was relief for Shelbourne as Speel denied Kady in the 68th minute. That was it – there was no great drama as the home side comfortably booked their place in the third round qualifiers. Qarabağ FK: Mateusz Kochalski, Matheus Silva, Bahlul Mustafazade, Kevin Medina (Samy Mmaee 72), Elvin Jafarquliyev (Tural Bayramov 80), Pedro Bicalho, Kady (Olexiy Kashchuk 80), Leonardo Andrade, Emmanuel Addai, Abdellah Zoubir (Chris Kouakou 72), Nariman Akhundzade (Musa Gurbanli 72). Shelbourne: Wessel Speel, Lewis Temple, Sam Bone, James Norris (Evan Caffrey 71), Kameron Ledwidge, Daniel Kelly, Mark Coyle, Elis Chapman (Ali Coote 80), Ademipo Odubeko (Sean Boyd 62), Kerr McInroy (JJ Lunney 62), John Martin (Harry Wood 62).
Irish Independent
an hour ago
- Irish Independent
Shelbourne bow out of Champions League after own-goal ends faint hopes against Qarabag
But after a sobering end to the first leg removed any suspense from their Champions League tie with Qarabag, Joey O'Brien used the return leg as preparation for the road ahead in more ways than one and yet still managed to escape serious damage. The only goal of the game on a draining evening in Baku was scored by a Shelbourne player. Unfortunately, it was John Martin turning a first-half cross into his own goal, a frustration for the visitors given that they restricted the favourites to a handful of clearcut opportunities. Eight changes to the starting team reflected that O'Brien had one eye on a busy seven days featuring a league game against Sligo Rovers on Saturday and a crucial away tie in the Europa League parachute round next Wednesday against either Rijeka or Ludogorets. Therefore, he rotated options and rested some important legs, a risk against a quality opponent playing in front of an expectant crowd. But Qarabag were content enough with the general situation and while a makeshift Shels side acquitted themselves well, and could have nicked a draw on the night with Kerr McInroy and Daniel Kelly missing second-half chances – an important caveat is that Gurban Gurbanov's experienced outfit never needed to go up another gear either. They also missed a second-half penalty, with Shels debutant Wessel Speel, the Dutchman on loan from Minnesota United, getting down well to save from Kady Borges. It was a poor spot-kick, but Speel was solid overall and has put himself in line for involvement in a crucial few weeks where the Dubliners have two more chances to book a €4m league phase ticket. He will likely be protected by a different defence when it comes to the real money matches. Paddy Barrett and Sean Gannon were given the night off, with Sam Bone coming into the middle of a back three and youngster Lewis Temple trusted on the right. Kameron Ledwidge was retained after a tricky ending to last week's three-goal defeat, with McInroy and Mipo Odubeko the only other starters to be selected again. There wasn't much in the match with Qarabag controlling the ball without necessarily being incisive until their 42nd minute breakthrough, a goal that arose from their first corner. ADVERTISEMENT It was worked short, with the patient Borges drawing in Mark Coyle before nipping away from the Shels skipper and sending in a dangerous cross that Martin turned into his own net as he struggled to get himself out of the way. That was a tough blow to take for Shels with the badly needed interval recharge in sight, but they resumed sprightly enough and created their best chance of the match when James Norris raided down the flank and pulled the ball back for McInroy, who should really have done better on his favoured left foot from ten yards. Qarabag were sparked into life by the let-off as both benches prepared multiple changes and the spot-kick was forced by a moderate spell of pressure with Ledwidge punished for a handball as he raised an arm in an attempt to block a cross. Borges lacked conviction from the spot and Speel did enough to push it away. He had made a better stop just beforehand when a deflection off Bone added difficulty to another shot from outside the area. Opportunities inside the box were in short supply, with the Shels stand-ins performing well without the ball. They lasted the duration as O'Brien swapped his other options around ahead of him, ensuring that none of his key men were active for the full ninety minutes. Kelly could have grabbed an equaliser at the death but fired over the bar when he had more time to pick his spot. It would have been a nice moment for the group, but meaningless in the broader picture. Next Wednesday is what really matters. Qarabag: Kochalski, Silva, Mustafazada, Medina (Mmaee 72), Cafarquilyev (Bayramov 80); Bicalho, Borges (Kashchuk 80); Andrade, Addai, Zoubir (Kouakou 72); Akhundzade (Gurbanli 72) Shelbourne: Speel, Temple, Bone, Ledwidge; Kelly, Coyle, Chapman (Coote 80), Norris (Caffrey 71); McInroy (Lunney 62); Odubeko (Boyd 62), Martin (Wood 62) Ref: A Colombo (Italy)
Irish Times
2 hours ago
- Irish Times
Shelbourne drop to Europa League qualifiers as Qarabag lead proves too great to overturn in Baku
Champions League second-round qualifier, second leg: Qarabag 1 (Martin OG 44) Shelbourne 0 (Qarabag win 4-0 on aggregate) Shelbourne have been redirected to the Europa League , where they will face the loser of Rijeka (Croatia) v Ludogorets Razgrad (Bulgaria) in a third-round qualifier after their defeat by Azerbaijan side Qarabag in their second-round Champions League qualifier. The first leg of the Europa qualifier is scheduled to be played next Thursday, followed by the second on August 14th. Qarabag, as expected, progress in the Champions League but Shels leave Azerbaijan with their reputation intact after a professional, compact performance. Come the stroke of half-time, Kady had seen enough. The Brazilian midfielder received a short corner and stood up Mark Coyle, electing not to collapse for a penalty when the Shelbourne captain tugged his shirt. READ MORE Instead, he glided down the end-line before inviting Nariman Akhundzade to finish at the front post. John Martin got the last touch to beat Shelbourne's new Dutch goalkeeper Wessel Speel. Shelbourne players dejected after conceeding a goal against Qarabag. Photograph: Aleksandar Djorovic/Inpho That put Qarabag 4-0 ahead on aggregate as the dead rubber was confirmed. Any hope of this contest being as entertaining as the first-leg at Tolka Park was ruined by Olexiy Kashchuk and Akhundzade snatching late goals in Drumcondra last week. Understandably, Shelbourne manager Joey O'Brien benched key figures in Harry Wood, Ali Coote and Paddy Barrett as a three-goal deficit was never going to be erased in Baku's stifling conditions. The temperature tipped over 29 degrees at kick-off. The 5,300 kilometre trek from Dublin to the Republican Stadium is further east than the entire land mass of Iraq. It is a 16-hour round trip if the Dublin club somehow managed to avoid stop-offs in Istanbul, and Sligo Rovers might exploit some heavy legs at the Showgrounds on Saturday night as a result. In light of the Europa first-leg fixture, the Dublin derby between Shels and Bohemians has been refixed for August 9th, a day later than its original billing. O'Brien's squad is braced for a hectic August, with an FAI Cup showdown against St Patrick's Athletic at Richmond Park dropped in the middle of their European campaign. The Shels manager reacted accordingly, with seven starters from the first-leg making way, Wood and Coote among them, which would blunt any League of Ireland attack, especially against far superior European opposition. Shelbourne's James Barry Norris during the Champions League second-round qualifier against Qarabag in Baku. Photograph: Aleksandar Djorovic/Inpho Qarabag manager Gurban Gurbanov stuck with his best side as they gear up for the Azerbaijan Premier League opener on August 15th. Speel's six-foot six-inch frame was needed to deny a Leandro Andrade early in the second-half but seconds later the Dutch man needed attention on his shoulder after colliding with Bahlul Mustafazade. He recovered to save Kady's late penalty. Shelbourne kept probing and McInroy looked to the sky after his snap shot was parried by Mateusz Kochalski. The Scottish midfielder should have equalised on the night. James Norris impressed at left wing back. On loan from Liverpool, he set up McInroy's chances before blazing over himself. Italian referee Andrea Colombo was quick to award a penalty in the 67th minute when Silva's cut back caught Kameron Ledwidge's arm. Kady was punished for casually rolling his spot kick too close to Speel before Elvin Jafarguliyev hit the rebound high into the stand. QARABAG: Kochalski; Silva, Mustafazade, Medina (Mmaee 72), Jafarguliyev (Bayramov 80); Pedro Bicalho, Kady (Kashchuk 80); Leandro, Addai, Zoubir (Kouakou 72); Akhundzade (Gurbanli 72). SHELBOURNE: Speel; Temple, Bone, Ledwidge, Norris (Caffrey 71); Kelly, Coyle, McInroy (Lunney 62), Chapman (Coote 81); Martin (Wood 62), Odubeko (Boyd 62). Referee: Andrea Colombo (Italy).
