TWO MORE SSE Airtricity League sides will be aiming to get their Europa League campaigns off to a winning start this evening.
After St Patrick’s Athletic’s 1-0 victory against Jeunesse Esch of Luxembourg on Tuesday, Cork City and Shamrock Rovers will also enter the first qualifying round of the competition tonight.
City are in Belfast for the first leg of their tie against Linfield (7.45pm), while Rovers will begin by entertaining Rovaniemen Palloseura (RoPS) of Finland at Tallaght Stadium (8pm). Both second legs are scheduled for next Thursday, 7 July.
Having taken some significant scalps in the past — Malmo and NEC Nijmegen in 2004, Djurgardens in ’05, Apollon Limassol in ’06 — City returned to European competition last season after a seven-year absence but fell at the first hurdle of the Europa League against Iceland’s KR Reykjavik.
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City boss John Caulfield will go head-to-head with former Leeds United and Fulham striker David Healy, who guided Linfield to a second-placed finish in the NIFL Premiership in his first season at the helm of the Windsor Park club.
Linfield — who defeated Cork City 1-0 in Belfast in the 2007 Setanta Cup in the only previous meeting of the two clubs — could hand a debut tonight to ex-Manchester United goalkeeper Roy Carroll, who has just returned from Euro 2016 with Northern Ireland. Former Cork City player Ross Gaynor could also line out against his previous club.
Roy Carroll could make his first Linfield appearance against Cork City. Presseye / Kevin Scott/INPHO
Presseye / Kevin Scott/INPHO / Kevin Scott/INPHO
City are still without club captain John Dunleavy and full-back John Kavanagh due to injury, while the Leesiders say the fitness of Karl Sheppard, Michael McSweeney, Alan Bennett and Kenny Browne will be assessed closer to kick-off.
“It will probably be really like a League of Ireland match,” said Cork City manager John Caulfield. “They have strengthened in the off-season. We know what we have to do and, for us, it’s about making sure we can give a good performance. Guys want to play in these matches, it’s a massive game and we are really looking forward to it.
Linfield are seeded and they have been in Europe almost every year in their history, so they will expect to go through. For us, it’s about keeping cool heads, showing discipline and going out and giving the kind of performance that we have given a lot this year.
“I think it will be a hell-for-leather game and I think we need to be composed and disciplined. I think it is important that we get back to basics, that we work hard and move the ball quickly and play like we have done up to the break. If we give a strong performance, I think we’ll win, but it’s played over two legs and I think it’ll go right to the wire.
“It’s an all-Ireland game and there’s so much passion and pride involved. I think both teams will go for it. I think they’ll want to win, we’ll want to win and I don’t think either side will back off. I’m positive, I’m optimistic and it would be great if we could go there and score.”
Shamrock Rovers' Killian Brennan is set for his 11th European campaign in a row, a record for current LOI players. Tommy Dickson / INPHO
Tommy Dickson / INPHO / INPHO
On Friday night, City played out a scoreless draw with Shamrock Rovers, who welcome RoPS — Finland’s second-placed team last season — to Dublin this evening.
Rovers are boosted by the return of Gary McCabe and Killian Brennan, but injuries mean Evan Osam, Danny North and Luke Byrne are unavailable.
Cork boss calls for discipline in 'hell-for-leather' Europa League tie tonight at Windsor Park
TWO MORE SSE Airtricity League sides will be aiming to get their Europa League campaigns off to a winning start this evening.
After St Patrick’s Athletic’s 1-0 victory against Jeunesse Esch of Luxembourg on Tuesday, Cork City and Shamrock Rovers will also enter the first qualifying round of the competition tonight.
City are in Belfast for the first leg of their tie against Linfield (7.45pm), while Rovers will begin by entertaining Rovaniemen Palloseura (RoPS) of Finland at Tallaght Stadium (8pm). Both second legs are scheduled for next Thursday, 7 July.
Having taken some significant scalps in the past — Malmo and NEC Nijmegen in 2004, Djurgardens in ’05, Apollon Limassol in ’06 — City returned to European competition last season after a seven-year absence but fell at the first hurdle of the Europa League against Iceland’s KR Reykjavik.
City boss John Caulfield will go head-to-head with former Leeds United and Fulham striker David Healy, who guided Linfield to a second-placed finish in the NIFL Premiership in his first season at the helm of the Windsor Park club.
Linfield — who defeated Cork City 1-0 in Belfast in the 2007 Setanta Cup in the only previous meeting of the two clubs — could hand a debut tonight to ex-Manchester United goalkeeper Roy Carroll, who has just returned from Euro 2016 with Northern Ireland. Former Cork City player Ross Gaynor could also line out against his previous club.
City are still without club captain John Dunleavy and full-back John Kavanagh due to injury, while the Leesiders say the fitness of Karl Sheppard, Michael McSweeney, Alan Bennett and Kenny Browne will be assessed closer to kick-off.
“It will probably be really like a League of Ireland match,” said Cork City manager John Caulfield. “They have strengthened in the off-season. We know what we have to do and, for us, it’s about making sure we can give a good performance. Guys want to play in these matches, it’s a massive game and we are really looking forward to it.
“I think it will be a hell-for-leather game and I think we need to be composed and disciplined. I think it is important that we get back to basics, that we work hard and move the ball quickly and play like we have done up to the break. If we give a strong performance, I think we’ll win, but it’s played over two legs and I think it’ll go right to the wire.
“It’s an all-Ireland game and there’s so much passion and pride involved. I think both teams will go for it. I think they’ll want to win, we’ll want to win and I don’t think either side will back off. I’m positive, I’m optimistic and it would be great if we could go there and score.”
On Friday night, City played out a scoreless draw with Shamrock Rovers, who welcome RoPS — Finland’s second-placed team last season — to Dublin this evening.
Rovers are boosted by the return of Gary McCabe and Killian Brennan, but injuries mean Evan Osam, Danny North and Luke Byrne are unavailable.
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Cork City Linfield Shamrock Rovers RoPS The European Dance