Champions League: Shelbourne 1 (Odubeko 58) Linfield 0

Shelbourne will have regrets but Mipo Odubeko settled this meeting of Dublin and Belfast institutions with a striker’s finish.

Sean Boyd picked out his strike partner and despite the attention of two Linfield defenders, Odubeko’s left foot chip proved the only goal on a memorable European night.

“I love scoring goals for Shelbourne, this is the stage I want to play on,” said Odubeko.

For 90 minutes and change Shelbourne looked like the best team on the island of Ireland. Tolka Park was draped in red, besides 250 visitors in royal blue, as this Champions League qualifier instantly settled into one-way traffic.

Statistics tell the story of the first-half: Shelbourne had nine corners, Linfield had none. Shels created eight chances, but only two were on target.

Whenever Linfield broke out of their airtight defensive set-up, they gave up possession. Cheaply. David Healy’s men did not want the ball.

The plan seemed simple: escape home to Windsor Park for next Wednesday’s second-leg with a valuable 0-0.

The Northern Ireland Football League champions looked fresh out of preseason as Shels pounded the empty-terrace-end goal with Kerr McInroy and Harry Wood a few rungs above the general standard.

It was not a night to miss a chance from point-blank range but that is what Evan Caffrey managed in the seventh minute.

The opportunity came after Euan East was treated on the pitch for a head injury when Wood thumped a shot into the back of his skull. On seeing East in distress, Portuguese referee Luis Godinho halted play and signalled for the Linfield medic.

After an on-field examination – the follow my finger test and a light shined in the player’s eyes – play resumed with East quickly returned to the action.

Moments later, Caffrey directed a free header into the legs of Linfield goalkeeper Chris Johns. He was free because East fell over.

There was a loud penalty shout in the 22nd minute, which prompted Godinho to point to the spot, but VAR reversed the decision as replays showed Jonathan Lunney’s shot hitting Ben Hall’s arm. The arm was firmly attached to the defender’s body. No penalty.

Hall and teenager Matthew Orr appeared to enjoy the constant onslaught, passing Odubeko between them, as they invited the League of Ireland champions to pick them apart. Even their big centre forward Matthew Fitzpatrick looked like a dominant centre-half as Wood whipped corner after corner into the mixer.

Linfield were disciplined, staying in a low block and working themselves to the bone. They were not shy in the tackle either as Josh Archer and skipper Jamie Mulgrew earned yellow cards for heavy challenges on McInroy and Ali Coote.

Ethan McGee even got forward to get a shot on target before the break.

The sideline was quiet in comparison to the combustible, theatrical interactions to which Tolka had grown accustomed under Damien Duff. Shelbourne’s new manager Joey O’Brien is less emotional under the bright lights.

There was the odd encouraging clap, where Duff used to regularly roar instructions.

The worry for Shelbourne’s high-paced, lateral approach was that the stifling conditions would take their toll. It is easier to defend under a beating sun.

Wood was classy on the ball but Linfield’s blue wall continually forced Caffrey or Paddy Barrett to curl crosses into the danger zone. Meat and drink for Hall.

Next, Odubeko might have thought he was offside when McInroy clipped a pass that gave him a clear run on Johns’ goal. His first touch let him down.

O’Brien reacted to a growing malaise by telling Sean Boyd, Daniel Kelly and Tyreke Wilson to warm-up nine minutes into the second-half. Odubeko survived the triple substitution as Boyd joined him up front.

Hall was immediately under pressure from two big centre forwards, beating Boyd in the air before Odubeko got the better of him from the next leap. Boyd took the breaking ball and picked out Odubeko for a cool finish beyond Johns.

That’s three goals in three games for the former Republic of Ireland under-21 after he went scoreless in the 11 outings before Duff’s resignation.

Shels should have killed off the tie. Boyd missed the target with a header as only five of 19 attempts found the target.

Both sets of supporters were sated; there were standing ovations when Wood and Odubeko were called ashore while the Linfield fans belted out God Save the King and Rule Britannia.

Shelbourne: Kearns; Ledwidge, Barrett, Coyle; Caffrey (Kelly 56), McInroy, Lunney, Norris (Wilson 56); Wood (Chapman 78), Coote (Boyd 56); Odubeko (Martin 88).

Linfield: Johns; Orr, East, Hall, McCullough; Archer, Mulgrew (McKee 72), McGee; Miller, Fitzpatrick, Morrison (Offord 72).

Referee: Luis Godinho (Portugal).