Much-changed Shelbourne exit Champions League but regain pride after narrow loss to Qarabag 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).
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