Byrne is confident of getting the job done

Champions League qualifiers: Having given Shelbourne two of European football's most precious commodities - away goals and a lead to defend - in Belfast a week ago, Jason Byrne might be forgiven for believing that the pressure in this evening's return leg against Glentoran at Tolka Park will be on the home side's players at the other end of the pitch.

But as he prepares for what will be his 14th outing in a Uefa run competition the 27-year-old striker is determined that the Dubliners can add to the second half goals scored at the Oval and so give the local support something to cheer about before the final whistle.

"We created enough chances to win two games," he says of the first leg, "and should have scored more than we did, but I am sure we will take them this time around."

His brace means that the northerners must score at least two themselves to progress but if Byrne and his team-mates can find the net themselves the task would become almost difficult for Roy Coyle's side regardless of the improved fitness that should come after another week of intensive pre-season training.

The bottom line, says the striker, is that a repeat of the away performance would be enough to see Shelbourne safely into the next round where former European champions Steaua Bucharest would provide the Irish side with another opportunity to measure their progress against a club that operates on a somewhat different level.

"If we play the way we did last Wednesday, we know we will be okay," he says. "We know we have what it takes to go through, but we have to show it. We were a bit surprised by how much we were on top in the first game, but they came back very strongly at the end so you can't write them off."

Still, a first-round exit would be an enormous setback after Pat Fenlon's side did so much of the hard work in east Belfast.

Defeat to Glentoran would further undermine the case made by those who point to Shelbourne's performances 12 months ago as evidence that real progress is being made.

"We are under pressure to do well in Europe because of what happened last year," he admits. "It's at the back of your mind that people will be wondering whether last year was a one-off. We dealt with that well last week, but it is only half-time in the tie and we have to make sure we are still ahead at full-time."

If they are then Byrne will swiftly turn his attention to Friday's visit to his former club, Bray Wanderers, before settling into the preparations for next Wednesday's home game against Steaua.

"We know," he says, "that we have an uphill task to catch Cork (in the league), but there is a long way to go so we know that it can be done.

"That's not our concern at the moment, though," he adds, "and we haven't even thought of Steaua either. Not at all. They haven't been mentioned in the dressingroom. We have to get over this hurdle first.

"Even then, we won't think about Steaua because we have a league game against Bray on Friday. We have to take it one game at a time."