Can Inver Reds begin Conference League qualifying campaign with victory?
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Belfast Telegraph
4 hours ago
- Belfast Telegraph
All-Ireland rematch the prize for Linfield as Shelbourne drop into Conference League
Linfield will be reunited with Shelbourne in a Uefa Conference League play-off if they can overcome Víkingur on Thursday night.
Scotsman
4 hours ago
- Scotsman
Hibs in 'better' vow ahead of UEFA Conference League clash at Easter Road
David Gray's men hold 2-0 lead from win over Partizan in Belgrade Sign up to our Hibs football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Hibs boss David Gray admits his team will need to show a dramatic improvement if they're to avoid a UEFA Conference League shock at home to Partizan on Thursday night. But he has promised that his team 'WILL be better' after recovering from the blow of dropping Scottish Premiership points at home to Kilmarnock on Sunday. Gray's men were hugely impressive in Belgrade last week, staring down the bedlam of nearly 25,000 Serbian fans – nicknamed the Gravediggers – to bury Partizan on their home turf. Two unanswered goals from Martin Boyle, taking his overall total for Hibs to 101 not out, saw the Scots run out comfortable winners on a sweltering night in the Balkans. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Although they maintained a lot of that momentum from the outset against Killie at Easter Road on Sunday, roaring into a 2-0 lead with just over 25 minutes gone, they faded badly in a game that ended in a 2-2 draw. Gray knows that a repeat of that performance will put his team's hopes of reaching the UEFA Conference League play-offs at serious risk. 'I think we need to be better in terms of the concentration, in terms of the quality on the ball,' he admitted, the former club captain adding: 'But it's not something I've labelled the players at all for a long time now. 'We will be better. We know we need to improve from Sunday's performance. But I'll also be very quick to remind them of the first half performance and the quality within that as well. As I've just said, one positive, to be honest, is then you don't go and lose the game. Fans proved mettle amid Midtjylland heartache 'I'm not going to get too carried away. Yes, it's two points dropped, and it really feels that way just now from the position we put ourselves in. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'But, as the Premiership has obviously demonstrated, it's a difficult league. Anyone can beat anyone. So, we need to be at our very best for 90 minutes every week.' Thursday night's contest will be a second big European night of the season for Hibs, who pushed veteran UEFA campaigners Midtjylland all the way to extra time before suffering late, late heartache by dint of a world-class finish in the second leg of their Europa League second qualifying round tie. Easter Road is heading towards a sell-out again for this contest, made suddenly more interesting by Partizan racking up a 7-2 win on domestic business at the weekend. Gray said: 'Thursday is a brilliant one to look forward to. The crowd will be right there again. Full house at Easter Road. 'European nights, under the lights. So, it's a brilliant game to come next, off the back of how we were feeling after Kilmarnock.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad With a 2-0 aggregate lead, Hibs remain favourites to progress to the Conference League play-offs. That would almost certainly see them face Legia Warsaw, 4-1 down from the first leg of their Europa League third qualifying round tie against Cypriot side Larnaca. Assuming both matches go as expected, Hibs will welcome the Poles to Easter Road for the first leg on Thursday week, August 21, before travelling Warsaw for the return match a week later. The winners of that tie will progress to the competition proper – which would be the first time Hibs had qualified for group/league phase football since UEFA did away with straight knock-out format.
Belfast Telegraph
9 hours ago
- Belfast Telegraph
North Belfast rivals to clash in Senior Shield first round while holders Glentoran draw Championship club
Last season, the Glens defeated Shield-experts Larne on penalties in the decider at Seaview. While Declan Devine's men will be clear favourites to progress at The Oval, John Bailie's side have dumped senior sides Ballymena United, Crusaders, Loughgall and Portadown out of cup competitions in the recent past.
