6 days ago
Shelbourne undone in final minute as Europa League journey ends
Shelbourne 1-3 HNK Rijeka (Rijeka win 4-3 on aggregate)
Shelbourne's Europa League dream died on a sultry night in Drumcondra, but the Conference League group stages remain very much achievable after a second leg in Tolka Park that will reign long in the memory.
Goals fit to grace any occasion – on 33 minutes from Toni Fruk and 73 from Tiago Dantas – had Shels seemingly down and out, only for Mipo Odubeko's scuffed penalty to restore parity after what seemed a never-ending VAR call by the officials.
Yet, just as Tolka threatened to crumble with the noise, Ante Orec blasted into the bottom corner in the 90th minute, Shels scarcely able to believe that they had conceded a third.
It was hard to keep a handle on it all, with Rijeka clearly the superior team on the night but Shels understandably feeling they deserved extra-time at least.
What will at least encourage Reds boss Joey O'Brien is that there is only so much you can do against such quality as the first couple of goals. Now Shels will meet Linfield, who they overcame in a Champions League qualifier last month, or Faroese outfit Vikingur for a far more winnable game and Conference League group combat after 10 matches to get there.
Extra-time would have been intriguing, even allowing for the Croats' superior class, but Shels and O'Brien have enough about them to get Conference League football once they – and all of us – digest what happened here in Tolka.
On a gorgeous evening heaving with expectation, Shels missed arguably the best chance of the game from open play in the early minutes, but thereafter were finding any meaningful possession extremely difficult.
Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrimsson, former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, and Dublin GAA legend Stephen Cluxton were among those in the dilapidated Richmond Road Stand, the state of same testament to the incentive for Shels getting over this tie and ensuring a windfall.
The Reds would be guaranteed league phase football in the Conference League and a €3.8m cheque from Uefa if they could finish the job in their Europa League third-round qualifier.
Key attacking midfielder Fruk returned from suspension with Dantas, ex-Bayern Munich, part of a double pivot with Dejan Petrovic. They would, predictably, cause the Reds many problems.
There was controversy three minutes in – but not enough for VAR to intervene just yet. Clever control from Harry Wood bought him time and he whipped a long ball in the direction of Ali Coote, who bothered big Mladen Devetak such that the defender failed miserably to clear.
Coote, one on the other one of keeper Martin Zlomislic, should have done better but ended up colliding with the Bosnian. The crowd roared for a penalty but Romanian whistler Marian Barbu could not blame his view of the clash and waved appeals away.
Shels' pressing was impressive and, with no visiting fans allowed due to a Uefa ban, this was not an easy atmosphere for Devetak and his colleagues, the defender slicing over the sideline to big cheers 13 minutes in.
That said, Shels barely had any possession in the opening quarter, and it was a warm evening for constant chasing of the ball. The first scent of a strike Fruk enjoyed saw a defiant block from Kerr McInroy in front of the Riverside Stand.
Paddy Barrett fashioned a truly superb block of his own on 25 minutes, with the strapping Ante Juric finding space and firing at Speel. Then James 'Chuck' Norris nipped in to prevent Merveil Ndockyt from scoring, but the corner saw another scare, defender Ante Majstrovic hooking wide; the hush in the old place reflected growing unease.
The opening goal had given the hosts ample warning, yet was of such quality as rarely seen in this ground. Orec flicked a cross back to Juric, who teed it up for Fruk, whose volley was as much instinctive as perfection – one of those goals that stuns the crowd even before it hit the net.
Shels' response was defiant, with Milan Mbeng finding Norris at the opposite post and the Englishman teed up Scot McInroy, whose shot was met by Zlomislic. But it was anomalous in a half dominated by a classy Rijeka and Petrovic's excellent delivery from a corner then saw Nico Jankovic connect but miss narrowly.
Shels were prisoners to the gods, the ball a whisker wide with the interval approaching. And the threat carried by the Croats was constant, with the diminutive Tiago Dantas – a rare thing in a very tall and physical Rijeka side – heading wide, Shels a little exposed.
John Martin, fresh from two excellent headed goals in the past week, including in Croatia, was brought on for the somewhat unlucky Coote at the interval. Martin and Odubeko combined seven minutes in but the pacy striker was under pressure and directed his shot wide – a sign that he was a threat if he got any service.
Still, it was Rijeka who seemed most likely, and Petrovic might have done better on the volley from a corner on the hour mark.
McInroy was struggling in open play and could not prevent a really dangerous Rijeka break on 64 minutes, with Jankovic threatening but ultimately lacking power in his strike.
Wood, arguably Shels' best player, looked to be fouled as the final quarter commenced and Shels would have been raging had Fruk's strike matched his goal for accuracy; instead it was well wide.
If the first was a "worldie", it is a case of beauty being in the beholder's eyes as to whether or not it bettered the second. With seemingly no instant danger to worry about, Shels nevertheless pressed Dantas, but he was so far from goal it was barely credible that he could leave Speel with no chance – a goal that will linger long with all those who bore witness.
VAR has been really kind to League of Ireland teams and Martin was glad of it as he claimed Orec had a hold of him after a cross into the box, with what seemed like several minutes before the referee was sent to have a look at his monitor between the two dugouts. Usually this is merely going through the motions, but Barbu was in no rush to make a call, belatedly pointing to the spot.
Mipo, who barely had a sniff all evening, will hit much better penalties but it trickled under Zlomislic – and Tolka utterly erupted. Not content with that, Mbeng's back-post effort was saved by Zlomislic, but the drama was not yet done.
As the fourth official readied his board, Merveil Ndockyt's free-kick fell to Niko Jankovic. He knocked it back to Orec, whose effort just about evaded Speel in the bottom corner.
Speel even came up for a set-piece at the Ballybough end to cause some mayhem but Rijeka held out, and Shels had no more to give. Earlier in the evening, what now seemed like a lifetime ago, a 'Spirit of 04' banner greeted the players, recalling an incredible victory here over Hadjuk Split 21 years ago.
Tolka Park has changed little in those two decades and change, but this Shels European story, already full of drama, is far from over.
Shelbourne: Wessel Speel; Sam Bone, Paddy Barrett, Kameron Ledwidge; Milan Mbeng, Harry Wood, JJ Lunney (Ellis Chapman 78), Kerr McInroy, James Norris (Evan Caffrey 78); Ali Coote (John Martin 46), Mipo Odubeko.
HNK Rijeka: Martin Zlomislic, Ante Orec, Ante Majstorovic, Stjepan Radeljić, Mladen Devetak; Tiago Dantas (Damir Kreilach 90), Dejan Petrovic; Niko Jankovic, Toni Fruk, Merveil Ndockyt (Luka Menalo 90); Ante Matej Juric (Justas Lasickas 75).
