[NLSITE MATCH REPORTS] [NLSITE MATCH REPORTS]
| Date: Wed. July 19 2000 |
| Venue: Tolka Park |
| Champions League, Qual. Rnd. 1, 2nd leg |
Hero Heary
keeps Shels' Euro hopes
alive
| Shelbourne 1 Sloga Y. 1 (2-1 on agg.) |
A red-letter night for Irish club football has teed Shelbourne up for a £350,000 Champions' League windfall.![Action from Tolka Park [© Irish Independent]](http://www.independent.ie/2000/201/images/s19a.jpg)
But the Reds put 7,000 fans at a throbbing Tolka Park through the mental wringer before clinching a money-spinning tie against Rosenberg in the second preliminary round.
When Gary Haylock broke the deadlock in the 67th minute, Shels, who led 1-0 from the first leg, were seemingly in control.
But in a nerve-jangling final ten minutes, they conceded a penalty and then needed a desperate last-ditch goal-line clearance by Owen Heary from an Argend Beciri shot in the 87th minute to preserve their advantage.
"We didn't make it easy for ourselves, did we?" quipped manager Dermot Keely. "The players deserve this. They were outstanding. It was a magical night, the support we had, not just from Shelbourne fans, was fantastic. It lifted everyone."
With Norwegian champions Rosenborg coming to Tolka next Wednesday, Shelbourne's players will hardly have time to draw breath, while club officials can rub their hands at the prospect of live TV deals and another UEFA six-figure hand-out.
On a warm, still, evening the official team listings prompted echoes of the World Cup when Ronaldo was out of the Brazil team one moment, back in the next.
Half an hour before kick-off, the Shels team sheet showed Stephen Geoghegan at number nine, but when the Reds emerged, Geoghegan was missing, replaced by the vastly experienced Paul Doolin. The unlucky Geoghegan had turned an ankle in the warm-up and hobbled towards the dug-out with the aid of a crutch.
In the hasty re-shuffle, Haylock was pushed forward to partner Dessie Baker in a 4-4-2 formation, and the changes unsettled the Reds in the opening exchanges.
It required a stunning touch over save from Steve Williams in the eighth minute to deny Goran Maznov as the Macedonian side, containing three internationals, called the shots with their slick and purposeful style.
It was the jolt Shels required as they soon upped the tempo, with Doolin, Pat Fenlon and James Keddy establishing a bridge head in midfield.
With the irrepressible Richie Baker causing untold problems for his marker, Zoren Sterjoski, Shels took control. From a Fenlon free-kick, the younger Baker headed on and Pat Scully's thumping header was tipped over by Jane Nikoloski in goal.
From the corner, the ball broke to Doolin on the edge of the box and his angled return across goal dramatically kissed the upright.
As the second half unfolded, the patterns shifted imperceptibly. For a spell it was Sloga who were the aggressors as Shels were forced to concede ground.
A couple of timely tackles from Mark Hutchinson and a brave body block by Heary exemplified the Reds' resistance. This was one the thin red line which was refusing to crack.
On the counter, there were frenzied flurries from the Reds as Baker and Haylock showed selflessly for the ball and then, as the mid-way point of the half beckoned, Tolka erupted.
From a throw in on the left, Hutchinson hoisted the ball into the danger zone. Not for the first time, Nikoloski's uncertainty in the air was exposed as he stayed put and Haylock slipped in to steer a first time effort joyously into the bottom corner.
The goal, which doubled Shels' aggregate lead, invigorated the Reds and deflated Sloga. Suddenly, Shels were transformed.
Within moments, Dessie Baker almost added a second when he beat the offside trap and drew the 'keeper, only to see his lob drop a yard wide of the post.
Then, the hungry Haylock, twisting athletically in the box to make contact with Tony McCarthy's header, hooked inches over.
It looked plain sailing but in the nature of Ireland v Macedonia clashes, there was a late twist as Arben Nuhiji cooly converted a penalty in the 81st minute after Keddy appeared to tug the jersey of Beciri.
On a sweaty night, it prompted a sweat box finish but Shels, thanks to Heary's heroics, deservedly held on to become the first Irish team to win through a Euro tie in six years.
© Irish Independent [http://www.independent.ie]
TEAMS:
Shelbourne:
Williams; Heary, Scully, McCarthy, Hutchinson; R Baker, Doolin (Prizeman 81), Fenlon, Keddy; Haylock (Foran 89), D Baker.
Goals: Gary Haylock 67.
Sloga Yugomagnat:
Nikoloski; G Jovanovski, Zoraveski, Z Jovanovski; Ramadan (Bajram 70), Beciri, Mustafi (Ramadani), Janevski (Presilski 60), Sterjoski; Maznov, Nuhiji.
Goals: Arben Nuhiji (pen.) 81.
[NLSITE MATCH REPORTS] [NLSITE MATCH REPORTS]
| Date: Wed. July 26 2000 |
| Venue: Tolka Park |
| Champions League, Qual. Rnd. 2, 1st leg |
Defensive errors
cost brave
Shelbourne
Shelbourne's dreams of further European glory lay in ruins ![Orjan Berg grabs the opening goal [© Inpho]](http://www.examiner.ie/images/phead_000727.jpg)
as Norwegian side Rosenborg grabbed victory in last night's Champions League second qualifying round first leg.
Now Rosenborg seem certain to progress to the third round with the advantage of a two-goal lead going into the second leg against the Dublin club in Trondheim next Wednesday.
Shelbourne battled bravely but they could never recover from two goals in the opening 14 minutes by Orjan Berg and Fredik Winsnes.
Substitute Richie Foran did pull back a goal on 62 minutes and even though Dessie Baker saw a shot deflected onto the crossbar, it was the Norwegians who had the final say. That came when substitute Petter Belsvik shot home in the final minute with Shelbourne committed to all-out attack in a vain bid to snatch an equaliser.
It was a disaster start for the Eircom League champions when Rosenborg silenced the 10,000 Dublin crowd when going ahead with just 98 seconds played.
A long throw-in by defender Stale Stensaas left the Shelbourne defence in total confusion and when Mark Hutchison missed his tackle Orjan Berg made no mistake.
The Dublin side seemed overawed by the occasion although they might have equalised when Stephen Geoghegan created the opening for Richie Baker only for the winger to shoot just wide from the edge of the box.
The dangerous Jan Derek Sorensen was causing Owen Heary all sorts of problems down the left flank. After one clever ball from Fredrik Winsnes, Sorenson's effort was just over the bar onto the roof of the net.
But Shelbourne always looked dangerous in breakaways and Stephen Geoghegan had one shot blocked by keeper Arni Arason after a Richie Baker free was missed by the Norwegian defence.
Lack of proper cover led to Rosenborg's second goal after 14 minutes when Fredrik Winsnes had the simple task of shooting past Steve Williams from 12 yards after Frode Johnsen side-footed the ball to the unmarked striker.
The Dublin side might have reduced the leeway after a Pat Fenlon free was headed back by central defender Tony McCarthy.
But Geoghegan was too slow to react and skipper Erik Hoftun was able to clear the ball for a corner. Then, Hutchison was just wide off the target after Richie and James Keddy had created an opening down the left. Sadly, the Shels defender shot right footed inches passed the post.
But the Norwegians always looked in control and one flowing movement between Berg, Sorenson and Johnsen almost led to a third goal with Johnsen just wide of the target.
Richie Baker then had a header over the bar after Garry Haylock had directed the ball into the winger's path.
Late on in the first half a frustrated Fenlon was shown the yellow card by Bulgarian referee Ivan Ivanov for a foul on Johnsen.
Another Baker effort was dropped by the keeper. But there was no Shelbourne player up to take advantage. In an effort to try and retrieve the game Shelbourne introduced substitutes Davy Byrne and Richie Foran at half time, taking over from Haylock and Stephen Geoghegan.
Ex-Dundee United man Byrne almost made an immediate impact when seeing a shot blocked by a defender after James Keddy had carved open the Rosenborg defence.
From the rebound Richie Baker also saw his shot deflected to safety.
It was no more than Shelbourne deserved for their spirited second half fight back when they pulled back a goal on 62 minutes after Richie Baker was again fouled by Stensaas.
From Pat Fenlon's resulting free kick out on the right substitute Richie Foran was able to shoot home at the far post in a crowded goal mouth. Then Dessie Baker cut in from the right to cross for a shot which was deflected onto the bar by the head of Christer Basma.
It was a real let-off for the Norwegian champions.
Shelbourne's last throw of the dice was the introduction of striker Ian Gilzean with just 13 minutes remaining.
But the nearest they came to grabbing an equaliser was when Richie Baker had a 22-yard free kick pushed round the post by keeper Arason.
The final agony for the Reds was when Rosenborg snatched a third goal in the dying seconds.
Substitute Petter Belfvik fired home from close range after Berg had taken advantage of slackness in the home defence.
© Irish Examiner [http://www.examiner.ie]
TEAMS:
Shelbourne:
Williams, Heary, Scully, McCarthy, Hutchison, R Baker, Fenlon, Haylock (Byrne 46), Keddy, D Baker (Gilzean 77), S Geoghegan (Foran 46).
Goals: Richie Foran 63.
Rosenborg:
Arason, Hoftun, Basma, R Strand (Hernes, 85), Berg, Sorensen (Knutsen 90), F Johnsen (Belsvik 70), Skammelsrud, F Winsnes, B Johnsen, Stensaas.
Goals: Orjan Berg 2, Frederik Wisnes 15, Petter Belsvik 90.
[NLSITE MATCH REPORTS] [NLSITE MATCH REPORTS]
| Date: Wed. Aug. 2 2000 |
| Venue: Lerkendal |
| Champions League, Qual. Rnd. 2, 2nd leg |
Brave Reds
bow out
with draw
Rosenborg 1 Shelbourne 1
(4-2 on aggregate) |
A night of mixed emotions for Shelbourne as they restored some pride in themselves and the eircom League with a rousing ![Action from Trondheim [© Scanpix]](http://www.examiner.ie/images/phead_000803.jpg)
draw from this Champions League game at the Lerkendal stadium in Norway.
Substitute Richie Foran gave Dermot Keely’s Irish champions a controversial 58th minute lead very much against the run of play before Orjan Berg deservedly levelled for Rosenborg ten minutes from time.
There was sadness, too, however, for Shelbourne as midfielder Davy Byrne broke his right leg in a tackle mid way through the second half.
Having struggled to stay in the game at all in the first half in which they nonetheless defended well, Shelbourne stunned Rosenborg with their lead goal just before the hour mark.
A ball in from Pat Fenlon was headed goalward by Richie Baker, with Rosenborg goalkeeper Arni Arason appearing to catch the ball cleanly.
But Foran, on the field just minutes as a sub for Stephen Geoghegan, bodychecked Arason and the ball flew out of the bemused keeper’s hands and into the goal.
Swiss referee Massimo Busacca waved away the crowd of protesting Rosenborg players and, somewhat unbelievably, gave the goal.
Rosenborg had virtually all of the play throughout the duration of the game and deservedly levelled ten minutes from time when Berg glanced a header past Steve Williams from Bent Skammelsrud’s corner.
With just five defeats and five draws here in 23 Champions League games, Rosenborg’s confidence was evident from the attendance of just under 6,000, half their average.
And Shelbourne’s faint hope that Jan Derek Sorensen’s absence through injury was a blessing were soon dampened when his replacement on the left flank, Morten Knutsen, carved them open on four minutes.
Having nipped in behind onto Roar Strand’s precise through ball, Knutsen’s pull back was equally adept only for Fredrik Winsnes to ruin it all by shooting a foot or so wide of Steve Williams’ right hand post.
Shelbourne really struggled to get out of their half until the 30th minute. Mark Hutchison, who had earlier blazed way over the top from their only other attack, played Dessie Baker up the left and he lobbed a 20 yard right foot shot onto the roof netting.
But it remained very much one way traffic. Minutes earlier Williams was thankful for a dreadful miss by Berg, who scooped over the crossbar from just yards out after the Shelbourne keeper had fumbled an inswinging corner from Winsnes.
Williams redeemed himself subsequently by saving well from Knutsen, while the same player mis kicked wide when he ought to have done better on 34 minutes.
© Irish Examiner [http://www.examiner.ie]
TEAMS:
Rosenborg:
Arason; Basma, Johnsen, Hoftun, Stensaas; Winsnes, Skammelsrud, Berg; Strand (Svenning, 88), Johnsen (Belsvik, 78), Knutsen (Hernes, 58).
Goals: Ørjan Berg 80.
Shelbourne:
Williams; Heary, Scully, McCarthy, Hutchinson; Byrne (Doolin, 64), Geoghegan (Foran, 55), Fenlon, Keddy; Baker, Baker.
Goals: Richie Foran 58.
![Tony McCarthy heads clear for Shels [© Reuters]](http://www.uefa.com/NewsData/UCL/Photo/000712_SLO_SHE_Jovanov_Doolin.jpg)
in this season’s Champion’s League after a priceless goal by Ritchie Baker in the 83rd minute, gave the Dublin side a famous victory at Macedonian’s National Stadium in Skopje.