Shelbourne bow out of Champions League after own-goal ends faint hopes against Qarabag
The only goal of the game on a draining evening in Baku was scored by a Shelbourne player. Unfortunately, it was John Martin turning a first-half cross into his own goal, a frustration for the visitors given that they restricted the favourites to a handful of clearcut opportunities.
Eight changes to the starting team reflected that O'Brien had one eye on a busy seven days featuring a league game against Sligo Rovers on Saturday and a crucial away tie in the Europa League parachute round next Wednesday against either Rijeka or Ludogorets.
Therefore, he rotated options and rested some important legs, a risk against a quality opponent playing in front of an expectant crowd.
But Qarabag were content enough with the general situation and while a makeshift Shels side acquitted themselves well, and could have nicked a draw on the night with Kerr McInroy and Daniel Kelly missing second-half chances – an important caveat is that Gurban Gurbanov's experienced outfit never needed to go up another gear either.
They also missed a second-half penalty, with Shels debutant Wessel Speel, the Dutchman on loan from Minnesota United, getting down well to save from Kady Borges.
It was a poor spot-kick, but Speel was solid overall and has put himself in line for involvement in a crucial few weeks where the Dubliners have two more chances to book a €4m league phase ticket.
He will likely be protected by a different defence when it comes to the real money matches. Paddy Barrett and Sean Gannon were given the night off, with Sam Bone coming into the middle of a back three and youngster Lewis Temple trusted on the right.
Kameron Ledwidge was retained after a tricky ending to last week's three-goal defeat, with McInroy and Mipo Odubeko the only other starters to be selected again.
There wasn't much in the match with Qarabag controlling the ball without necessarily being incisive until their 42nd minute breakthrough, a goal that arose from their first corner.
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It was worked short, with the patient Borges drawing in Mark Coyle before nipping away from the Shels skipper and sending in a dangerous cross that Martin turned into his own net as he struggled to get himself out of the way.
That was a tough blow to take for Shels with the badly needed interval recharge in sight, but they resumed sprightly enough and created their best chance of the match when James Norris raided down the flank and pulled the ball back for McInroy, who should really have done better on his favoured left foot from ten yards.
Qarabag were sparked into life by the let-off as both benches prepared multiple changes and the spot-kick was forced by a moderate spell of pressure with Ledwidge punished for a handball as he raised an arm in an attempt to block a cross.
Borges lacked conviction from the spot and Speel did enough to push it away. He had made a better stop just beforehand when a deflection off Bone added difficulty to another shot from outside the area.
Opportunities inside the box were in short supply, with the Shels stand-ins performing well without the ball. They lasted the duration as O'Brien swapped his other options around ahead of him, ensuring that none of his key men were active for the full ninety minutes.
Kelly could have grabbed an equaliser at the death but fired over the bar when he had more time to pick his spot.
It would have been a nice moment for the group, but meaningless in the broader picture. Next Wednesday is what really matters.
Qarabag: Kochalski, Silva, Mustafazada, Medina (Mmaee 72), Cafarquilyev (Bayramov 80); Bicalho, Borges (Kashchuk 80); Andrade, Addai, Zoubir (Kouakou 72); Akhundzade (Gurbanli 72)
Shelbourne: Speel, Temple, Bone, Ledwidge; Kelly, Coyle, Chapman (Coote 80), Norris (Caffrey 71); McInroy (Lunney 62); Odubeko (Boyd 62), Martin (Wood 62)
Ref: A Colombo (Italy)
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