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The Irish Sun
a day ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Much-changed Shelbourne out of Champions League and into Europa League after aggregate defeat to Qarabag
SHELBOURNE slipped out of the Champions League after their second string were edged out in Baku. The Reds will now face either Rijeka or Ludogorets in the 2 Shelbourne are out of the Champions League Credit: Aziz Karimov/Sportsfile The Croatian and Bulgarian title-holders are currently in action in the second leg after a 0-0 draw first time out. A John Martin own goal was all that separated the sides in this return game with keeper Wessel Speel saving a penalty on his debut. Joey O'Brien sprung a surprise by making eight changes to the team which had been beaten 3-0 at Tolka Park a week earlier. Defender Kameron Ledwidge, midfielder Kerr McInroy and striker Mipo Odubeko were the only survivors. Read More on Shelbourne He handed a debut to Dutch keeper Speel who was signed just before the first leg with Lorcan Healy making way. And fringe players such as Daniel Kelly, Lewis Temple, Sam Bone, Ellis Chapman and John Martin also came in, as did James Norris and captain Mark Coyle. It went against the pre-match talk of learning lessons from the second leg but made sense given the 5,000km trek on an eight-hour flight to get to Baku with the same on the way back with a game in Sligo Rovers to come on Saturday. Whatever team he had put out was unlikely to be able to undo the damage which had been done in the final 10 minutes in Drumcondra last week. Most read in Football But there was a fear that putting out a team with limited game-time under their belts and even more restricted experience of playing alongside each other could lead to them being given the runaround and losing by an even bigger margin the second time around. They came close to achieving what the frontliners had not managed last week, getting to half-time without conceding. RTE pundit's one-liner about Damien Duff makes Joey O'Brien laugh after Shelbourne's win vs Linfield But they did leak a goal just before the interval when Martin inadvertently put the ball into his own net. Kady burst past Coyle on the right before drilling a cross to the far post where the striker got the telling touch under pressure from Naramin Akhundzade. It was a bitter blow, especially considering that, despite all of their possession and chances, the home side had struggled to really work Speel. Pedro Bacalho had twice fired off-target with Kady also failing to force a save out of the Dutchman with a long-range effort and a volley closer to goal with captain Abdellah Zoubir missing from point-blank range. Shels needed a reaction after the break but, before they provided one, they could have fallen further behind with Coyle again finding one of his opponents too hot to handle . Leandro Andrade cut inside him with his shot pushed around the post by Speel. 2 Pedro Bicalho of Qarabag FK in action against Ellis Chapman of Shelbourne Credit: Aziz Karimov/Sportsfile His opposite number Mateusz Kochalski had been a virtual spectator but, eventually, he was forced into action and Kerr McInroy will feel he should have done better with his first-time effort. He shot straight at the Pole after Norris had done well to get forward and pull the ball back into his path. Ledwidge then let fly from distance as Shels carried more of a threat after the restart, as had been the case in the home leg. Bringing on Sean Boyd, Harry Wood and JJ Lunney shortly after the hour mark were not exactly defensive substitutions either but Qarabag did continue to create goal-scoring opportunities of their own. The most clearcut of them again involved a helping hand from Shels with Ledwidge conceding a penalty for raising his arm as he jumped to block Matheus Silva's cross. Kady took responsibility from 12 yards but after a staggered run, Speel dived to his right to keep out his spot-kick. With both sides going on to use their five permitted substitutes, the game petered out with no further goals. Emmanuel Addai went closest for the home side but his effort was smothered by Speel with Kelly volleying over for the visitors in stoppage time. QARABAG : Kochalski; Silva, Mustafazade, Medina (Mmaee 72), Jafarguliyev (Bayramov 80); Bicalho, Kady (Kashchuk 80); Andrada, Addai, Zoubir (Kouakou 72); Akhundzade (Gurbanli 72). SHELBOURNE : Speel; Kelly, Temple, Bone, Ledwidge, Norris (Caffrey 72); McInroy 6 (Lunney 62), Coyle, Chapman (Coote 80); Odubeko (Wood 62), Martin 5 (Boyd 62). REFEREE A Colombo (Italy)
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
What TV channel is Qarabag vs Shelbourne on? Stream, kick-off time and odds for Champions League qualifier
SHELBOURNE need a minor miracle if they're to turn around their Champions League second round qualification tie this evening. The League of Ireland champions Here's everything you need to know about the second leg: WHAT TV CHANNEL IS QARABAG VS SHELBOURNE ON? It won't be televised but you can stream it through Kick-off from the Tofig Bahramov Republican Stadium in Baku will be at 5pm Irish time. WHAT ARE THE ODDS? The home side are strongly fancied to win the second leg at 2/11 whilst Joey O'Brien's charges are 11/1 outsiders to be victorious on the night. Read More On Irish Football A draw is priced at 9/2. WHAT'S BEEN SAID IN THE BUILD-UP? 'Can we play you every week?' is usually heard from football fans when their team is steamrolling an opponent. But, for JJ Lunney, O'Brien's side have a mission impossible to overturn that first leg deficit. And Lunney reckons the best way of trying to compete with higher-level opponents is playing against them on a more regular basis. Most read in Football Speaking ahead of their training session at the match stadium, Lunney said: 'I think the more you play these games, the better you're going to get. 'It gives you a good understanding maybe of what level you could play at. It's everyone's dream to play at the highest level you can, and you obviously find out a lot about yourself in these games. Roy Keane takes time to sign autographs for kids at the Cork City game vs Sligo Rovers 'We all know we can play in the league, that's why we're here, but everyone would like to play at a higher level. "And I think it is good to know when you play against them and you do well, it probably gives you that bit more confidence in yourself and in your own ability. 'It's a shame, really, that we can't play against teams like that more of the season because I think you're only going to improve playing against better players. 'The tempo of the game is a lot faster. 1 Conceding in the 81st and 85th minute last week virtually killed off the tie "I think the players that played in the Zurich game last year, if we're not taking any learnings from that game, and you're not growing from that again, then it's kind of a waste of time. 'I think I lost one in the last five minutes or so, you think you're having a good game and you maybe take a little half a yard touch too big and they take it. 'There's learning in that. You just can't for one second switch off at all so it's just the speed of the game and how quick you're thinking. 'And knowing where your next pass, that's something that's big for me as a midfielder and something that I want to keep trying to get better at.'
The 42
4 days ago
- Sport
- The 42
Shelbourne make bid for West Ham youngster Sean Moore
SHELBOURNE HAVE SUBMITTED an undisclosed bid to sign West Ham United's Republic of Ireland U21 international Sean Moore. The 19-year-old has one season remaining on the contract he signed with the Premier League club when he joined from Cliftonville in 2023. It's understood Shels previously attempted a loan deal for the player, and after that was rebuffed they came back to the table with an offer of a permanent move. An exciting winger who can operate at full back, Moore played over 40 games for the Irish League side before leaving for the Hammers at the age of 17. Advertisement He was initially capped by Northern Ireland at youth level but he made his debut for the Republic at Under-19 level before being capped by the U-21s against Sweden last year.
Irish Examiner
23-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Shels shocked as Qarabag show gulf in class in Champions League second round qualifier
Uefa Champions League second round, first leg SHELBOURNE 0 QARABAG 3 (Leandro Andrade 12, Oleksiy Kashchuk 80, Nariman Akhundzade 85) Trust someone with a Shamrock Rovers link to kick-start the monsoon dumped on Shelbourne's Champions League parade. Pico Lopes is one of the few regular internationals in the League of Ireland and his Cape Verde teammate Leandro Andrade popped up to smother a promising start for Shels to this second-round tie. That was admirable given the magnitude of the step-up in class from their first-round victory. Losing to Linfield would have triggered a wider debate on comparisons between the two leagues on the island of Ireland but there's no debate as to how far ahead the Azeris are. Specifically, that refers to Qarabag. They've claimed the title in all bar one of the last 11 seasons, their monopoly derived from the investment that puts a value on the current squad of €25m. Conservative estimates would quantify the Shels equivalent at 90% less. While the gulf in class was evident in dispatches, the Reds did occasionally sculpt moments that could have brought with them something to the second leg in Baku. That they squandered those moments, coupled with switching off to gift substitute Oleksiy Kashchuk and Nariman Akhundzade late goals, that all but confirms Shels have used up one of their three lifelines to reach group stage participation beginning in October. Nariman Akhundzade of Qarabag scores his side's third goal. Pic: Ben McShane/Sportsfile. Within the space of five minutes Shels descended from being in the tie to effectively being eliminated – a lesson as to the calibre of opponent in Uefa's supreme competition. All the warnings of lapses being punishable issued by manager Joey O'Brien, only a month into the job since his boss Damien Duff abruptly quit on a Sunday morning, weren't heeded by his Shels players. Ominously for the Irish title holders, Qarabag, on their home patch, in peak summer temperatures and a week further into their pre-season will pose a deadlier threat next Wednesday. Shels knew from their triumph in Belfast last week that three more ties were ahead of them on this return to the European stage following an 18-year absence. The second of those will be in the Europa League in a fortnight, the first leg away to the loser of another Champions League clash between Ludogorets (Bulgaria) or Rijeka (Croatia), who played out a scoreless draw. Flat feelings across Tolka Park were a contrast to the opening 10 minutes when O'Brien's call to begin briskly had the desired effect. From their first corner on seven minutes, Harry Wood's delivery was met by Tyreke Wilson's flying header which struck the arm of Behlul Mustafazade. Shels didn't have time to appeal before Seán Gannon's sliced effort rebounded off the post. A VAR check didn't award the penalty. Five minutes later and the Azeri kingpins grabbed their lead from a clinical counterattack. They were appealing for a foul by Kameron Ledwidge when Leandro Andrade drove at the defence from the right, switched play to the left, where Abdellah Zoubir and Tural Bayramo combined to square for the Cape Verde attacker to sweep home from close range. Akhundzade grazed the crossbar with a volley from a well-worked corner as Shels were stretched and all the hosts could conjure approaching the break was a header from captain Paddy Barrett which Fabijan Buntić almost contrived to fumble into the path of Mipo Odubeko. The striker was nowhere near as involved in this tie but his wingers both had chances to level early in the second half. Ali Coote's deflected volley looped over the crossbar before Harry Wood uncharacteristically scuffed his chance at the back post when found by Kerr McInroy. Barrett's cross also glanced off the crossbar as the sold-out crowd craved an equaliser but they were silenced by the late brace. When Akhundzade's shot clipped the post with 10 minutes left, Ukrainian Kashchuk followed in to tap into the empty net. Five minutes later and stand-in goalkeeper Lorcan Healy was left stranded by a header from Ledwidge that enabled Akhundzade to walk the ball over the goal-line while the row behind him ensued. SHELBOURNE: L Healy; E Caffrey (J O'Sullivan 66), S Gannon (M Coyle 46), P Barrett, K Ledwidge, T Wilson (J Norris 18); K McInroy, JJ Lunney; A Coote (J Martin 66), M Odubeko (S Boyd 77), H Wood. QARABAG: F Buntic; D Bolt (A Hüseynov 77), B Mustafazade, M Silva, T Bayramov; P Bicalho, Kady, E Addai; L Andrade (O Kashchuk 77), N Akhundzade (M Qurbanlı 88), A Zoubir (E Cafarguliyev 88). Referee: Ante Čulina (CRO).
The Irish Sun
22-07-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Shelbourne sign Dutch keeper Wessel Speel on loan after Conor Kearns ruled out of Qarabag Champions League clash
SHELBOURNE have signed Wessel Speel on loan after Conor Kearns was ruled out of tomorrow's Champions League tie against Qarabag. Kearns was forced off in the first half of the second leg of Advertisement 2 Joey O'Brien's side are on the verge of signing a new keeper after Conor Kearns was ruled out of tomorrow's Champions League tie against Qarabag due to injury 2 Lorcan Healy is set to start for Shelbourne as new signing Wessel Speel will be on the bench in Dublin Both keepers made kicking errors which went unpunished by the Blues with Shels looking to strengthen between the posts by bringing in the Dutchman. The Reds were trying to get international clearance for Speel in time for him to be available for selection against the Azerbaijani champions on Wednesday, although Healy will start at Tolka Park. The Gouda native played for Utrecht at youth level before moving to the States to go to college five years ago. He joined Minnesota on a short-term contract at the start of the year before the club extended his contract until the end of the season with options for the next two campaigns. Advertisement read more on football He will join Shels until the end of the year. The 23-year-old has played in two US Open Cup ties before clocking up three MLS appearances last month when first-choice Dayne St Clair was away with Canada at the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Joey O'Brien said: 'He's a player we've been following, he came onto our radar about six months ago, we've been following him since then. 'An opportunity came up for him to come in, the situation with Conor being out. I think he's going to add real competition to that goalkeeping department, it should be really good.' Advertisement Most read in Football Live Blog Comment But O'Brien has expressed his faith in Healy - who has made only six appearances for Shels since joining from UCD before the start of last season. O'Brien said: 'Last year, Conor didn't miss many games, he missed a couple this year and Lorcan came in and did really well. Mikel Arteta could not be happier with new Arsenal signing Martin Zubimendi 'To come on as a sub goalkeeper, there's massive pressure, it's always difficult as a sub goalkeeper coming on. He acquitted himself quite well, he had one mistake in the second half, he had a bit of luck, he got away with it. 'I've full confidence, he's in tomorrow, he has the jersey and it's up to him then to perform. Advertisement 'He has a good way about him since he's come into the club. He's a good character, a good presence, he's got games this year, he's done well in them and hopefully he can take that into tomorrow.' O'Brien admitted he was unsure when Kearns would be fit again but there was a boost with Mark Coyle - who also came off in Belfast, with a knee injury - declared fit. O''Brien said: 'He's got a a hamstring so I suppose it will be a few weeks. We'll just take it from there. As a goalkeeper he doesn't have to sprint too many times so I could be proven wrong. 'Mark just pinched his knee. He trained today and he's in the squad tomorrow.' Advertisement
