FT – Rijeka 1 Shelbourne 2
The match report has landed.
“Goals from Sam Bone and John Martin saw Shelbourne stage a remarkable comeback victory to record perhaps their greatest away night in Europe, stunning Croatian champions Rijeka in their own backyard on the Adriatic coast,” Paul Buttner writes.
“Ahead of this first leg, manager Joey O’Brien spoke of there being no Play B in talking up his side’s ability to come and win the game.
“And that they did, showing admirable organisation and shape under Rijeka’s dominance of the ball and commendable composure and intent when they had it.
“It’s now very much all to play for ahead of the second leg at Tolka Park next Tuesday.”
Read Paul’s full report below:
That’s all from me for tonight, thanks for following along.
We’ll have a full match report shortly, so sit tight.
While we wait, Gavin Cummiskey has some news for us.
“Besiktas manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær has revealed he was approached by the FAI to replace Stephen Kenny as the Republic of Ireland head coach,” Gavin writes.
“Solskjær, speaking ahead of the Turkish club’s Uefa Conference League qualifier against the Kenny-managed St Patrick’s Athletic at Tallaght Stadium on Thursday night, confirmed that discussions occurred during the Association’s calamitous 231-day search.
“Heimir Hallgrímsson eventually accepted the role in July 2024 on an 18-month contract.”
Read the full story below:
[ Ole Gunnar Solskjær confirms he was approached by FAI to take Ireland jobOpens in new window ]
I don’t think even the most optimistic among us expected that outcome, but here we are.
And on the first goal, there’s debate over whether it was James Norris or Sam Bone. The latter got a touch on it but it may have already been over the line. I don’t they’ll come to blows over it either way.
FT – Rijeka 1 Shelbourne 2
And the final whistle goes.
Rijeka deny themselves precious time for another play as the referee blows things up while their still stating their case for a penalty.
Shelbourne win away from home ahead of next week’s return leg at Tolka Park.
FT – Rijeka 1 Shelbourne 2
Shot from Dantas. Paddy Barrett puts a deflection on it so it’s out for a corner.
Two poor shot efforts from Rijeka but they’re calling for a penalty claiming Sam Bone is guilty of a hand ball. The fourth official says no.
90+2 MINS: Rijeka 1 Shelbourne 2
Three minutes to be added on.
90 MINS: Rijeka 1 Shelbourne 2
Rijeka get creative. Lasickas looks as if he’s going to shoot but plays it towards the corner to Menalo. The hosts have a runner, but the cross from Menalo is slightly overcooked.
Nervy one for Shels.
89 MINS: Rijeka 1 Shelbourne 2
Sean Gannon and Mark Coyle provide the fresh legs to see Shelbourne to the end. Milan Mbeng and Kerr McInroy depart.
87 MINS: Rijeka 1 Shelbourne 2
Dangerous header from substitute Menalo but Speel gets up for the take.
Rijeka are starting to look a little frantic having been the image of composure to this point.
84 MINS: Rijeka 1 Shelbourne 2
Shelbourne have reverted to their first-half defensive shape as Rijeka look for their equaliser.
The visitors are again holding firm.
Stoppage in play as Speel gets some treatment, although the referee isn’t too convinced.
81 MINS: Rijeka 1 Shelbourne 2
Ellis Chapman comes on for Harry Wood.
Great shift put in by Wood, he looks out on his feet.
77 MINS: Rijeka 1 Shelbourne 2
Chance for Rijeka but Jankovic takes too much time over it and he’s dispossessed. Good defensive effort again from Shels.
Husic sends in a shot from distance to challenge Speel but the Shels goalkeeper gets his body behind it.
75 MINS: Rijeka 1 Shelbourne 2
GOAL FOR SHELBOURNE!
John Martin puts the Dubliners ahead.
Unbelievable cross from Harry Wood to find the substitute at the far post.
70 MINS: Rijeka 1 Shelbourne 2
John Martin has a go and it’s not a bad effort. His shot just skims the top left corner.
Shels have grown in confidence since the equaliser.
66 MINS: Rijeka 1 Shelbourne 1
Another great safe from Speel.
Lasickas lets off a blistering shot but the Shels goalkeeper gets his fingertips to it to send it over the woodwork.
62 MINS: Rijeka 1 Shelbourne 1
GOAL FOR SHELBOURNE!
Sam Bone finds the net from a pass from Norris.
Kerr McInroy played a short corner and was dealt a pass back to cross to James Norris who headed to the line where Bone got the final touch.
58 MINS: Rijeka 1 Shelbourne 1
Goal for Rijeka.
Jankovic scores from the penalty spot to put the home side ahead.
55 MINS: Rijeka 1 Shelbourne 0
Penalty for Rijeka.
Sam Bone plays a pass back to Speel and he’s put under pressure by Ndockyt, who goes down.
54 MINS: Rijeka 0 Shelbourne 0
Free kick for Shelbourne after Paddy Barrett is taken down just beyond the midway.
The free trails off left of the goal, but Shels showing more sign of attacking intent.
50 MINS: Rijeka 0 Shelbourne 0
We’re back under way in Rijeka.
Half-time change for Shels, Mipo Odubeko makes way for Daniel Kelly.
45 MINS: Rijeka 0 Shelbourne 0
HT: Rijeka 0 Shelbourne 0
Scoreless at the break in Rijeka, where the hosts have piled on the pressure but to no avail.
Joey O’Brien will be happy enough with the opening 45, but you’d be worried about fatigue for the second half as Shels have had to defend for their lives.
Another save from Wessel Speel, who seems to have overextended to get a hand to the low shot to see it out for a corner.
45+2 MINS: Rijeka 0 Shelbourne 0
Mipo Odubeko dispossesses Rijeka just beyond the halfway line but the cavalry come too slowly. Odubeko’s pass doesn’t sit for Martin and Rijeka have it back and are on their way again.
Five minutes to be added to the end of the half.
43 MINS: Rijeka 0 Shelbourne 0
Shels play pass the parcel at the midway. Rijeka are well set up at the back and Joey O’Brien’s side are struggling to find a way in.
38 MINS: Rijeka 0 Shelbourne 0
Milan Mbeng manages two successive Rijeka’s attacks well. Shels desperately trying to get to half-time without conceding a goal.
And there’s a third solid effort from Mbeng. This time he draws the free out and Speel comes out to send it up the far end.
35 MINS: Rijeka 0 Shelbourne 0
First corner of the game goes to Rijeka. Martin sees it safely out of the Shels box by getting up to head the clearance.
Play has been almost exclusively in Shelbourne’s half as Rijeka keep knocking on the door.
28 MINS: Rijeka 0 Shelbourne 0
Another save for Speel. A second Gojak attempt denied.
25 MINS: Rijeka 0 Shelbourne 0
Shelbourne launch a good attach with some nice play from replacement John Martin.
Kameron Ledwidge is dispossessed and Rijeka are back to challenge at the other end.
24 MINS: Rijeka 0 Shelbourne 0
Another injury worry for Shelbourne as Harry Wood hits the turf.
He looks okay to continue though and Joey O’Brien will breath a sigh of relief.
22 MINS: Rijeka 0 Shelbourne 0
Shels doing really well in defence but making little to no headway up front.
Rijeka go direct and Gojak pulls the trigger but Shels goalkeeper Wessel Speel makes the save.
21 MINS: Rijeka 0 Shelbourne 0
Forced change for Shelbourne as Sean Boyd’s night is brought to an early end with injury. John Martin takes his place.
19 MINS: Rijeka 0 Shelbourne 0
Good clearance from Paddy Barrett.
Rijeka are sending dangerous runs down the wing before dropping the ball in high to the box. So far the Shelbourne defence have the measure of it.
12 MINS: Rijeka 0 Shelbourne 0
Free for Shels and Harry Wood steps up. Sends it to the far corner and Sam Bone goes down on the edge of the box but the referee isn’t having any of it. Play on.
10 MINS: Rijeka 0 Shelbourne 0
Rijeka let fire their first attempt, Orec sending a high ball in, but Shels’ defence is set up nicely to see it out.
7 MINS: Rijeka 0 Shelbourne 0
Rijeka’s defender is still receiving treatment on the sideline but no move from manager Radomir Djalovic to make a change.
Play continues without him for now, with the host’s holding possession.
5 MINS: Rijeka 0 Shelbourne 0
Early stoppage as a Rijeka player goes down injured.
2 MINS: Rijeka 0 Shelbourne 0
Shels get things under way.
1 MINS: Rijeka 0 Shelbourne 0
Here come the teams..
Two minutes to kick-off.
Rijeka visit Tolka Park next Tuesday (kick-off 7.45pm) with the winner of this two-leg affair facing the victor of PAOK (Greece) and Wolfsberger (Austria) in the Europa League playoffs.
Fifteen minutes to kick-off at the Stadion Rujevica.
“From Belfast to Baku and now the picturesque Croatian port town of Rijeka, these past six weeks have been a whirlwind experience for Shelbourne and Joey O’Brien,” Gavin Cummiskey writes of this evening’s fare.
He believes the task facing the Dubliners may be slightly beyond them, writing the “likelier scenario is a return to Windsor Park against Linfield”, who are expected to reach the Conference League playoffs by beating Vikingur (Faroe Islands).
Shels would reach that juncture should they fall to Rijeka, dropping down to the Conference League qualifiers they banished Linfield to last month.
Should that come to pass, it’s not all bad, the winner of the Conference League playoff gets €4 million in prize money. You wouldn’t turn your nose up at that.
Read Gavin’s preview in full below:
Shelbourne reached this point after a 2-1 aggregate win over Linfield in the Champions League first qualifying round before losing 4-0 (agg) to Azerbaijani side Qarabag in the second round, dropping them down from the top-flight qualifiers.
For Rijeka, the Croatians entered the Champions League qualifiers in the second round, where they met Bulgarian side Ludogorets. After the first leg ended nil-all, the second tie was forced to extra-time last week, with Rijeka (or what was left of them after two sendings off) losing 3-1.
Here’s how Shelbourne line out:
And Rijeka:
Hello and welcome to The Irish Times live blog for Shelbourne’s Europa League qualifier against Croatian side Rijeka.
Joey O’Brien & co are in Rijeka at the Stadion Rujevica for the first leg of the third qualifying round, the return leg coming on Tuesday at Tolka Park.
Kick-off in Rijeka is at 7.45pm Irish time.
We’ll be keeping you updated on all the latest from Rijeka and there’ll be a full match report after the final whistle.
