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RTÉ News
6 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Joey O'Brien hails clinical Rijeka but rues missed chances as Shelbourne exit Europa League
Rijeka scoring quality goals and Shelbourne not making of the most chances that did come their way was how Joey O'Brien summed up his side's exit from the Europa League. On what was a raucous occasion at Tolka Park, the hosts, leading 2-1 from first leg, were eventually outdone late on as Ante Orec's goal on 90 minutes made it 3-1 for the visitors on the night and with it a passage through to the play-off round. For Shels, the play-off in the Conference League awaits against either Linfield, where they would renew acquaintances after meeting earlier in the Champions League, or Vikingur, with the Faroe Islanders 2-1 to the good ahead their second leg on Thursday evening. Despite trailing from the first leg, Rijeka were boosted by the return of their skilful No 10 Toni Fruk and so with it the expectancy that the tie was far from over. Fruk's brilliant strike gave the Croatian champions the lead on the night and an equally sublime finish from doubled their lead. Mipo Odubeko drew Shels level from the spot but Orec's turn and shot in the hosts' box settled things. Speaking to RTÉ Sport's Tony O'Donoghue, the Shels boss felt his troops managed the first half well and were powerless to prevent that moment of magic from Fruk. "We knew we were going to give up possession, they have some top, top players but I thought after the first 15 to 20 minutes we were fine," were O'Brien's early thoughts on the game. "We restricted them to pot shots from far out and then there was a moment of magic from a very good player. That put us on the back foot but as I said to the boys it's about managing halves of football and sometimes you get that. It's about getting to half-time and we got to half-time 1-0 down." "We then tweaked it and I thought in the second half we were good," he added. "I thought we were the better side. They scored from another moment of magic and then Mipo gets us back into it from the penalty. And then small margins; we had a chance to get a goal (from a Milan Mbeng header) at the back stick. Then they went up the other end, got a bit of luck and got the goal. It's a hard on to take but it is what it is." "You can't do anything about those goals, they were quality. A goal from 35 or 40 yards, you would probably tell a player at any level to shoot. To be fair to our lads they stuck at it, got the penalty. I don't think we went gung-ho for it after that It was a hopeful ball into the box [for the winning goal] that bounced up and it was a nice finish. They got that little bit of luck to get that winner." O'Brien's overall assessment by and large reflected what happened over the course of 90-plus minutes, in that he praised the extra bit of quality from the visitors, while rueing some of the chances his side spurned when in on goal. "People did not see how a good a team Rijeka were. The player that came back in from suspension - Fruk and with Petrovic returning - they are quality players. We had a great atmosphere here and fans wanted us to tear after them but at this level, up against players who can pass it about, as soon as you give them space they will make you pay. That was never going to be the gameplan. "As I said in the first-half we knew they were going to start strong and have a lot of possession but apart from a moment of magic for the first goal we restricted them to pot shots. "We had a threat early on, Ali (Coote) had a chance. It is what it is, maybe he could have gone down, but it was a chance. We had chances throughout the game; Mipo had a chance, Kerr (McInroy) had a chance. We didn't take them and they took theirs." And now it's back to Windsor Park on Thursday to assess the likely opposition in the upcoming play-off. "I will definitely go to Windsor, that's part of the game, you have to do your homework, so I'll have a look," O'Brien outlined. "It's a huge opportunity. The lads are hurting in the dressing room but you have to turn that hurt into going after what we want and that is the group stages."
The 42
6 days ago
- Sport
- The 42
Absorbing drama as Rijeka score 90th-minute winner to dump Shelbourne out of Europa League
Europa League third qualifying round, second leg Shelbourne 1 Rijeka 3 Rijeka win 4-3- on aggregate FIRST CAME THE thuds, then came the silence. And in a flurry of dizzying, headache-inducing drama during the final 10 minutes there was the kind of noise that Tolka Park has not witnessed for years, but Shelbourne were ultimately left with a cruel heartache from an absorbing defeat. Their European dream has not been broken by this Rijeka loss as they now have one last shot at a Uefa Conference League play-off against either Linfield or Vikingur. But when Mipo Odubeko stood up and saw his 86th minute penalty squirm under the body of Niko Jankovic it looked like this tie was heading for 30 minutes of extra-time. Instead, a final twist – quite literally – saw the man who conceded the spot kick, Ante Orec, wriggle free in the box and turn to deliver a 90th-minute reverse shot that ensured a 3-1 win on the night sent them through. There had been lengthy VAR drama after the full back pulled back substitute John Martin in the box and it took the guts of four minutes for referee Marian Barbu to consult with his officials before checking the screen. Rijeka showed their nerve to get over that bitter disappointment and the sight of their head coach, Radomir Dalvoic, ignoring the customary post-match handshake with Joey O'Brien and instead sprinting onto the pitch, hopping like a desperate, giddy bunny rabbit into the grateful embrace of his players showed just how this final few moments shredded the nerves. All of this at a point when it looked like Tolka Park had been stunned into a stupor by two moments of lethal Rijeka class from a pair of long-range goals from Toni Fruk and Tiago Dantas either side of half time. Fruk was the one to produce the moment of first-half class on 33 minutes that left Tolka Park stunned. Advertisement His opportunistic snap shot volley inside the D at the edge of the box was clinical and classy. Striker Ante Matej Juric laid the ball out to Tiago Dantas and his tee up for Fruk was half a yard above the ground. In an instant he had a decision to make. Take a touch and get closed down or rely on his technical gifts to come up with something wonderful. He opted for the latter, and delivered. He was on the right side of the D and connected with such sweet conviction that Wessel Speel's dive to his right side was forlorn. No sooner and that sound of the connection reverberated around Drumcondra than the ball hit. All was quiet then. The Rijek bench celebrated wildly with some coming on the pitch but with their away supporters banned from travelling for poor behaviour the most piercing sound was of silence. Until that point, Shels might have been relatively happy with how they were keeping the Croatian champions at arm's length. There was one fine diving block from Paddy Barrett when Juric controlled a clipped ball into the area and was able to turn and get a shot away. Other than a penalty appeal after three minutes when Ali Coote collided with goalkeeper Martin Zlomisilic – VAR didn't deem it worthy of a review – it was the away side who had all the ball and probed with an intensity that didn't give Shels a second. Niko Jankovic, the talented midfield who may soon be departing to Fenerbahce, showed why he is sought after with a couple of set pieces that, on another night, might have delivered another couple of goals. The Shels boss rejigged things at the break, introducing last week's goal hero Martin for Coote and ensuring the isolated Mipo Odubeko had more support up top. It almost paid off on 53 minutes when McInroy's clipped ball into the left channel and the substitute was onto it in a flash with Odubeko able to peel off into the box. A neat ball was slipped across to the front of the six yard box and while Odubeko was able to make the first connection with his left foot, covering defender Mladen Devetak did enough to ensure he couldn't hit the target. It's easier said than done to be more assertive and confident in possession when the opposition can up the intensity levels but Rijeka definitely didn't seem prepared to put Shels under as much pressure as the first half. And then Dantas received what seemed like a harmless square pass 30 yards out before opening his body at the precise angle that allowed him cut across the ball with a swiftness that saw it fly into the top left corner. Silence again, right until 10 minutes later when the mayhem really began. Harry Wood floated a cross to the back post on 81 minutes and Martin got ahead of Orec. It looked like a desperate attempt to win a penalty until the VAR spotted a pull of the jersey. The wait took the spot kick up until 86 minutes and Odubeko just about converted. He seemed almost too relieved to celebrated, and probably with good reason. Tolka Park was still energised by what some might have felt was a sense of destiny. The Riverside unfurled a banner before kick off calling on the Spirit of 2004 – when they knocked out Hadjuk Split – and when it looked like this might turn into an even more historic night Orec popped up in the other box with a moment – and goal – that was far more decisive. Shels go on in Europe but now it is last chance saloon. Shelbourne: Wessel Speel; Milan Mbeng, Sam Bone, Paddy Barrett, Kameron Ledwidge, James Norris (Evan Caffrey 78); Harry Wood, JJ Lunney (Ellis Chapman 78), Kerr McInroy (Dan Kelly 90+1), Ali Coote (John Martin HT); Mipo Odubeko. Rijeka: Martin Zlomisilic; Ante Orec, Ante Majstorovic, Stjepan Radeljic, Mladen Devetak; Dejan Petrovic, Toni Fruk, Tiago Dantas; Merveil Ndockyt, Ante Matej Juric (Justas Lasickas 75), Niko Jankovic. Referee: Marian Barbu (Rou)
Irish Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Shelbourne's hearts broken at the death as Europa League dream ends
Two outrageous goals on Tuesday night extinguished Shelbourne's second effort at securing group stage football - but the Reds will fight another day in the Conference League play-offs next week. Coming into tonight's Europa League second-leg 2-1 up, they looked set for a grandstand finish when Mipo Odubeko scored from the spot to level the tie with five minutes remaining. There was time for a heartbreaking twist as HNK Rijeka snatched an 88th minute winner through Ante Orec, who minutes earlier had conceded the penalty with a tug of John Martin's jersey. Shelbourne battled bravely, but conceded two screamers, with Toni Fruk living up to his billing as a potential heir to Luka Modric's spot in the Croatia team by scoring a spectacular opener. Even that, however, was topped by Tiago Dantes' strike 18 minutes from time. There were more twists to come as the game hurtled towards a dramatic finish, but one twist too many as far as the League of Ireland champions were concerned. Shelbourne will now play the winners of Linfield's tie with Vikingur of the Faroe Islands for a spot in the league phase of the Conference League - and they will do so buoyed by tonight's performance. There were times when it was backs-to-the-wall, but they showed their attacking pedigree too, particularly in the second-half when Martin replaced Ali Coote and set-up a two-pronged front-line with Odubeko. Healy was one of several big names in the directors' box. Bertie Ahern, based just around the corner from Tolka Park, was Taoiseach the last time Shelbourne welcomed a Croatian side to the Drumcondra venue. Reds fan Stephen Cluxton was three years into his glittering career as Dublin goalkeeper when they famously saw off Hajduk Split. A year earlier, he had reportedly been chased by Shels' League of Ireland rivals St Patrick's Athletic. Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrímsson was another famous face in the crowd, but his only link to that era was that he was playing at the time in the same league as KR Reykjavik, the team Shelbourne beat prior to facing Split. On the pitch Fruk, returning from suspension, was quick to showcase his skills. The attacking midfielder was constantly on the move in the narrow corridor between the Shelbourne defence and the midfield pair of Kerr McInroy and JJ Lunney. As early as the second minute, the 24-year-old former Fiorentina prospect spun in a blur past Kameron Ledwidge and accelerated towards the area, looking for a return pass that never arrived. By the eighth minute, he had the ball at his feet on the edge of the Shels penalty area, where he baited a foul that led to a free-kick dangerously close to goal. A few yards in front of the Shelbourne wall, the Croatians formed a three-man wall of their own, which split as Fruk let fly. Although blinded by Rijeka's antics, the Reds barrier did its job and the ball ricocheted out to Tiago Dantas. His half-volley fizzed wide of the left-hand post. Another Fruk chance on 19 minutes, a first-time effort from a half-cleared free-kick, drew a brave block from the impressive McInroy. Even more eye-catching, however, was Paddy Barrett's block at full-stretch, which kept Ante Juric's on-target shot from troubling goalkeeper Wessel Speel. Shels' Kerr McInroy dejected after conceding the first goal of the game (Image: Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne) By that stage, just past the halfway mark in the first-half, on-loan netminder Speel had just one save to make, and it was an easy one as Juric's low shot was straight at the Dutchman. At the other end, there was a nervy early moment for Rijeka keeper Martin Zlomislic, who must have feared a VAR check on the coming together between him and Ali Coote. Coote, racing onto a long Harry Wood ball, just couldn't get a decisive touch on the ball, but it still bounced past Zlomislic, and the Shels attacker fell over the goalie's clumsy challenge. No penalty, according to Romanian referee Marian Barbu, and there was no encouragement from the video assistant to send him over to the monitor on the touchline. There was no need either for a VAR review on Fruk's 33rd minute opener, although the ref might have wished for a chance to watch a replay of the young attacker's brilliant strike. It was as sweet a strike as Fruk could have struck, a curling 20-yard volley from the right of the D inside the left-hand upright, after good work by Ante Oric, Juric and Dantas. He could hardly have placed it any better to evade the despairing dive of Speel. Rijeka had been knocking on the door, and minutes before the opener Ante Majstorovic prodded a corner just wide of the near post, but immediately after the goal Shels produced their best attacking move. Recent signing Milan Mbeng was busy and on top of his game defensively, but he showed his class at the other end by making room for, and delivering, a cross towards the back post. Shels' JJ Lunney dejected after conceding the second goal of the game (Image: Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne) James Norris cushioned a header into the path of McInroy, his effort was packed with power but was straight at Zlomislic, who parried, and Coote sent the rebound wide. As half-time approached, Rijeka attempted to turn the screw, and Shels survived a couple of scares, most notably when Dejan Petrovic sent a free header wide of goal. A half-time change saw John Martin come in for Coote, and he was quick into the action, racing onto a McInroy ball down the left and crossing low towards Odubeko. The former Manchester United and West Ham striker was under pressure as he attempted to convert, but should have done better than steer the ball wide of the near post. So too should McInroy, when a heavy touch in midfield sent the visitors sprinting forward; the attack ending with a Niko Jankovic shot that Speel saved well to his right. But there was nothing the Shelbourne keeper could do about the goal that, with 18 minutes remaining, finally separated the two sides. Tiago Dantas received the ball from the left, moved onto his right foot and put his laces through the ball, sending it from all of 30 yards into the top right hand corner. Shels' John Martin dejected after conceding the second goal of the game (Image: Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne) But there was another twist. With eight minutes left, a tug of Martin's jersey by Orec wasn't spotted by the referee, but it was picked up by VAR, and after a long check Barbu pointed to the spot. Odubeko struck the ball low to his right, and got a bit of luck as the ball slipped under the dive of Zlomislic. However, Shelbourne's luck ran out over the next few minutes, as Mbeng drilled a shot straight at the keeper, before Rijeka scored a crucial third. The hosts couldn't clear a cross and Orec, the villain minutes earlier, turned hero with a shot on the spin from 16 yards that arrowed low inside the left-hand upright.
Irish Daily Mirror
11-08-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Rijeka boss Dalovic insists his side have a battle on their hands against Shels
Rijeka coach Radomir Dalovic is hoping the return of local hero Toni Fruk can save his job as the fall out from their European campaign threatens to engulf the Croatian double-winners. Fruk has been recently drafted into the national squad, a natural no. 10, he is expected to step straight into Luca Modric's position - if the 39-year-old Modric ever retires! "Toni is now in the national team of Croatia and he can go a long way, everything depends of him," says Dalovic of 24-year-old Fruk's potential. READ MORE: This is the Gavin Bazunu save that even had Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson gushing with praise READ MORE: Shels boss Joey O'Brien tells RTE 'doesn't bother me' as national broadcaster snubs big Uefa night "His play is good, not the exact same as Luca's in style, but he has the potential for the future, to be the future of Croatia." Rijeka haven't been having a good week, losing to Shelbourne at home, having taken the lead 1-0, and picking a red card in a league draw at Osijek on Sunday. It would have been nice for the Irish side had that red card, shown to Slovenian international midfielder Dejan Petrovic close to full-time, led to his being unavailable for this tie. But suspensions only apply to the competition they occur in, so Petrovic will join Fruk and 23-year-old Niko Jankovic who emerged as a €5.6m target for Fenerbache this week in the middle of the park. A trio sure to be the Croatian champions' strongest unit and likely to make for hard work for JJ Lunney and Kerr McInroy in the Shels engine room. Coach Dalovic, for sure, is a remarkable character and could surely write the book about playing games in foreign countries. A Montenegrin who played for his country 26 times, he had two spells as a player with Rijeka as part of a career that spanned 17 different clubs and a vast geographical spread. He initially played top-flight Yugoslavia as well as having stints in Germany (with Arminia Bielefeld in the Bundesliga), China, Thailand, Montenegro, Iran, Croatia, Romania and Turkey. He was also linked with Celtic circa 2009 while a deal with Wigan Athletic who were in the Championship at the time, fell through, a step short. What does he make of Shelbourne, of how his first encounter with Irish football went? "Shelbourne are a good team and they played a good game against us so they didn't surprise us in that way. "We had seen they had played good games against Qarabag, that they have this kind of fight, they fight for every ball, they are strong, they run good, a lot, and they have played 27 games in their championship - we have only started to play rounds in our league. "It's good football, and they have good players, but I hope we will be better than we were in the game in Rijeka." Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts.
