Mipo Odubeko strikes to give Shelbourne slender Champions League edge over Linfield

The 42

2 days ago

Champions League first-round qualifier, first leg
Shelbourne 1
Linfield 0
JUST WHEN IT looked as though this first leg was edging towards a frustrating missed opportunity, Shelbourne acted with decisiveness to take the advantage in their Champions League derby with Linfield.
Moments like this will allow for new boss Joey O'Brien to emerge from the shadow of Damien Duff and give the Tolka Park faithful more hope of brighter days to come in Europe this season.
Shels had been dominant throughout the first half but a feeling of control also had a nagging sense of malaise.
Then O'Brien made a triple substitution 11 minutes after the re-start. One of those fresh faces was Sean Boyd, thrown on alongside Mipo Odubeko when plenty might have expected it to be a straight swap given his lack of impact.
Then it came just over 60 seconds later. Odubeko won a flick on, Boyd returned the favour with a neat pass and his strike partner sent Drumcondra into a state of delirium with a sharp change of direction and finish.
It didn't lead to the floodgates opening and Linfield, to their credit, remained resolute to keep this tie delicately poised heading to Windsor Park next week.
As well as over the guts of €4 million at stake in prize money, progressing through this round of the Champions League guarantees a Uefa Conference League play-off spot later this summer, and the opportunity to grasp history for the club.
There is still so much work to be done in Belfast but, on this evidence, Shels should head north confident of re-asserting their dominance.
When the half-time whistle blew Linfield's Kirk Millar got a grip of his soaking blue shirt, peeled it off his torso to bury his face inside. He got a firm pat on the back from a member of staff heading for the tunnel.
Millar collected a bottle of water and took a gulp, and when he let the jersey go again he blew out his reddened cheeks.
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It was a tough, energy-sapping 45 minutes in a kind of Dublin dead heat for the Irish League champions.
But, crucially, the tie was still scoreless.
On 23 minutes it looked as if that would not be the case when referee Luis Godinho pointed to the spot for what he adjudged to be a handball from Ben Hall when JJ Lunney fired a shot into a sea of bodies.
The Portuguese official was sent to side of the pitch for a VAR review – the first one here at Tolka Park – and accepted that the Linfield man's arm was not in an unnatural position.
He revered the decision and anticipation of a breakthrough was replaced by disappointment.
Shels had already come close twice through Evan Caffrey in a matter of seconds in the seventh minute. He glanced a near-post header off the post from a Harry Wood corner and then crept in from the right flank to get on the end of a Paddy Barrett cross.
Euan East had slipped and it was just Caffrey alone eight yards out. There was a hint of hesitation with the effort but that should not take anything away from goalkeeper Chris Johns who made a fine reaction save and quickly scrambled to gather the ball on the line.
From that point on it was complete dominance in terms of possession, as you would expect given Shels are midway through their Premier Division campaign and Linfield are only a month into pre-season with two friendlies under the belt.
It looked that way here yet, as the half wore on, the sense grew that bigger questions would be asked of Shels and their approach after the break.
They had One misplaced pass from Kerr McInroy across his 18-yard box allowed Ethan McGee have a shot on goal. It flew well wide but was a reminder that complacency and sloppiness could not be allowed creep in.
Tense, high-stakes nights like this require an element of clinical confidence.
One of the biggest cheers of the night from the travelling fans came seven minutes after the re-start when Mark Coyle's header back to Conor Kearns had too much on it and led to their first corner of the night.
Nothing came of it but it at least offered encouragement.
O'Brien was the first manager to show his hand, making that triple sub on 56 minutes that led to switching to two out and out strikers.
It paid almost immediate dividends, Odubeko winning a header from Kameron Ledwidge's clearance, Boyd latching onto it and slipping in a nice pass under pressure for his partner to take in his stride.
Odubeko's first touch was decisive, taking the ball onto his left and giving him enough space to get a shot away just inside the box. The finish went across Johns, and a couple of covering defenders to rustle in the bottom corner.
The breakthrough was down to that change of approach from the Shels boss, ensuring more of a presence in the final third to allow for a different kind of pressure on a side that looked tired 20 minutes into the game.
There was still an element of frustration and nervousness around the ground because the second goal wouldn't come, Boyd flicking a near-post chance over with nine minutes remaining.
The second leg in Windsor Park will bring a different kind of energy and challenge with the tie just edging in Shelbourne's favour.
Shelbourne: Conor Kearns; Mark Coyle (captain), Paddy Barrett, Kameron Ledwidge; Evan Caffrey (Danny Kelly 56), JJ Lunney, Kerr McInroy, Harry Wood (Ellis Chapman 78), James Norris (Tyreke Wilson 56); Ali Coote (Sean Boyd 56); Mipo Odubeko (John Martin 87).
Linfield: Chris Johns; Matthew Orr, Euan East, Ben Hall, Dane McCullough; Josh Archer, Jamie Mulgrew (captain) (Chris McKee 71), Ethan McGee; Kirk Miller, Matt Fitzpatrick, Callumn Morrison (Kieran Offord 71).
Referee: Luis Godinho (Por)