SHELBOURNE LADIES TOOK a major step towards qualifying for the 2017/18 Uefa Women’s Champions League with a hard-earned 0-0 draw with Group 4 favourites Medyk Konin of Poland on Tuesday.
The Reds impressed during a tense and fraught encounter in Belfast, with a late red card for defender Seana Cooke soon overlooked following a dramatic late penalty miss for Konin in the dying stages.
The last Irish Women’s National League side to qualify for the Champions League came in 2013/14 when Raheney United made it to the competition’s group stages, beating Crusaders Strikers 3-2 in Seaview before exiting third in their group.
2016 National League and FAI Cup double winners Shelbourne returned to the same venue with aspirations of matching Raheney’s feat and began their own quest with what could prove to be a crucial point ahead of Friday’s second game.
Shaun Maher’s side face Finland champions PK-35 Vantaa next, before facing bottom-ranked Linfield on Monday, with just the group winners guaranteed a spot in the Champions League proper.
Tuesday provided another momentous occasion in Shelbourne Football Club’s long history of European odysseys as buses packed with hundreds of Reds supporters and family members made the trip north from Dublin.
Shelbourne came into the game on a run of form featuring two wins and a draw in a 2017 league campaign which has seen them trail league leaders Wexford Youths as they attempt to defend their title.
The return of striker Gloria Douglas from the United States only added to the sense that Shels could truly achieve something, the player admitting in the buildup to Tuesday’s qualifier that the chance to play Champions League football was too much to turn down following a period playing for Washington Spirit.
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Leanne Kiernan and Gloria Douglas (pictured winning the 2016 Women's FAI Cup) were instrumental up front for Shelbourne. Donall Farmer / INPHO
Donall Farmer / INPHO / INPHO
Douglas was instrumental in this draw, linking up with star forward Leanne Kiernan in the final third as the WNL side upset and unsettled their opponents — Konin regular competitors in the Champions League, losing out to Glasgow City and Olympique Lyon in the Round of 32 in 2015 and 2016 respectively.
The Polish champions’ strengths lay in their technical ability and they high-tempo passing football they wanted to play on the Seaview astroturf. However, the Reds were simply not allowing them the time nor space to settle or rest in possession.
Shels earned the game’s first chance and it proved to be the closest of the entire afternoon to breaking the deadlock. Cavan winger Kiernan turned her marker inside and out following brilliant buildup play with Douglas.
Douglas found Roma McLoughlin on the edge of the area and, beating her marker Paulina Dudek with a deft touch, slammed a long range effort destined for the bottom corner which was matched by an equally outstanding save from goalkeeper Emily Dolan.
Konin regained their composure and hit their opponents with three consecutive efforts on goal which forced fine saves from Amanda McQuillan in goal, Natalia Pakulska and winger Liliana Kostova constant threats in attack.
Shelbourne were dominant after the break with the introduction of Lynn Craven, back from Australia for the side’s Champions League campaign, as well as Alex Kavanagh vital.
Kavanagh almost wrapped the ball into the top corner from the edge of the box minutes after her introduction while her side had another gilt-edged opportunity to take the lead before when Siobhan Killeen wandered into the box completely unmarked before hitting a tame effort right at goalkeeper Dolan.
However hope looked like evaporating into the grey Belfast mist for Shelbourne with eight minutes left on the clock when Konin were awarded a dramatic late penalty.
Cooke was shown a straight red card by referee Sofia Karagiorgia for blocking a low shot on the line with her arm. Kystyna Sikora stood over the spot kick but ballooned her shot over and wide to the relief of McQuillan and the delighted travelling supporters.
The Reds were buoyed by the sudden late penalty miss and despite being a woman down went in search of a winner with the scores poised at 0-0 with the clock reading 85 minutes.
Despite their attacking advances Shelbourne suffered with the absence of forwards Douglas and Kiernan, and had their backs against the wall for the final five minutes as Konin bombarded McQuinlan’s box with chances at an epic rate.
But they held their nerve to earn a crucial point as their Champions League campaign gets off to the a confident start.
Shelbourne Ladies: Amanda McQuillan, Seana Cooke , Jamie Finn , Tiegan Ruddy , Niamh Prior , Pearl Slattery (C), Rachael Graham (Lynn Craven 68), Roma McLaughlin, Siobhan Kileen, Leanne Kiernan (Alex Kavanagh 45), Gloria Douglas (Rebecca Creagh 82)
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Champions League dream off to brilliant start as Shelbourne earn crucial point
Shelbourne Ladies 0
Medyk Konin 0
Aaron Gallagher reports from Seaview
SHELBOURNE LADIES TOOK a major step towards qualifying for the 2017/18 Uefa Women’s Champions League with a hard-earned 0-0 draw with Group 4 favourites Medyk Konin of Poland on Tuesday.
The Reds impressed during a tense and fraught encounter in Belfast, with a late red card for defender Seana Cooke soon overlooked following a dramatic late penalty miss for Konin in the dying stages.
The last Irish Women’s National League side to qualify for the Champions League came in 2013/14 when Raheney United made it to the competition’s group stages, beating Crusaders Strikers 3-2 in Seaview before exiting third in their group.
2016 National League and FAI Cup double winners Shelbourne returned to the same venue with aspirations of matching Raheney’s feat and began their own quest with what could prove to be a crucial point ahead of Friday’s second game.
Shaun Maher’s side face Finland champions PK-35 Vantaa next, before facing bottom-ranked Linfield on Monday, with just the group winners guaranteed a spot in the Champions League proper.
Tuesday provided another momentous occasion in Shelbourne Football Club’s long history of European odysseys as buses packed with hundreds of Reds supporters and family members made the trip north from Dublin.
Shelbourne came into the game on a run of form featuring two wins and a draw in a 2017 league campaign which has seen them trail league leaders Wexford Youths as they attempt to defend their title.
The return of striker Gloria Douglas from the United States only added to the sense that Shels could truly achieve something, the player admitting in the buildup to Tuesday’s qualifier that the chance to play Champions League football was too much to turn down following a period playing for Washington Spirit.
Douglas was instrumental in this draw, linking up with star forward Leanne Kiernan in the final third as the WNL side upset and unsettled their opponents — Konin regular competitors in the Champions League, losing out to Glasgow City and Olympique Lyon in the Round of 32 in 2015 and 2016 respectively.
The Polish champions’ strengths lay in their technical ability and they high-tempo passing football they wanted to play on the Seaview astroturf. However, the Reds were simply not allowing them the time nor space to settle or rest in possession.
Shels earned the game’s first chance and it proved to be the closest of the entire afternoon to breaking the deadlock. Cavan winger Kiernan turned her marker inside and out following brilliant buildup play with Douglas.
Douglas found Roma McLoughlin on the edge of the area and, beating her marker Paulina Dudek with a deft touch, slammed a long range effort destined for the bottom corner which was matched by an equally outstanding save from goalkeeper Emily Dolan.
Konin regained their composure and hit their opponents with three consecutive efforts on goal which forced fine saves from Amanda McQuillan in goal, Natalia Pakulska and winger Liliana Kostova constant threats in attack.
Shelbourne were dominant after the break with the introduction of Lynn Craven, back from Australia for the side’s Champions League campaign, as well as Alex Kavanagh vital.
Kavanagh almost wrapped the ball into the top corner from the edge of the box minutes after her introduction while her side had another gilt-edged opportunity to take the lead before when Siobhan Killeen wandered into the box completely unmarked before hitting a tame effort right at goalkeeper Dolan.
However hope looked like evaporating into the grey Belfast mist for Shelbourne with eight minutes left on the clock when Konin were awarded a dramatic late penalty.
Cooke was shown a straight red card by referee Sofia Karagiorgia for blocking a low shot on the line with her arm. Kystyna Sikora stood over the spot kick but ballooned her shot over and wide to the relief of McQuillan and the delighted travelling supporters.
The Reds were buoyed by the sudden late penalty miss and despite being a woman down went in search of a winner with the scores poised at 0-0 with the clock reading 85 minutes.
Despite their attacking advances Shelbourne suffered with the absence of forwards Douglas and Kiernan, and had their backs against the wall for the final five minutes as Konin bombarded McQuinlan’s box with chances at an epic rate.
But they held their nerve to earn a crucial point as their Champions League campaign gets off to the a confident start.
Shelbourne Ladies: Amanda McQuillan, Seana Cooke , Jamie Finn , Tiegan Ruddy , Niamh Prior , Pearl Slattery (C), Rachael Graham (Lynn Craven 68), Roma McLaughlin, Siobhan Kileen, Leanne Kiernan (Alex Kavanagh 45), Gloria Douglas (Rebecca Creagh 82)
Medyk Konin: Emily Dolan, Paulina Dudek, Nikol Kaletka (Patrycja Balcerzak 64), Radoslava Slavchenka, Natalia Chudzik, Anna Gawroriska (Brittany Kindzierski 45), Natalia Pakulska, Lynch Casidee, Maria Ficzay, Liliana Kostova, Krystyna Sikora
Referee: Sofia Karagiorgia (Cyprus)
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Champions League Medyk Konin Shelbourne shelbourne ladies UEFA Women's Champions League WNL women's champions league Women's National League