LAST UPDATE | 18 Jul
Europa Conference League, first-round qualifer
St Joseph’s 1
Shelbourne 1
(Shelbourne win 3-2 on aggregate)
SHELBOURNE PROGRESSED TO the second qualifying round of the Europa Conference League after a 3-2 aggregate win over St Joseph’s.
Damien Duff hailed side after coming from one goal down in the second leg to draw 1-1 on the night and set up a meeting with FC Zurich.
Defender Sam Bone scored the all-important equaliser after 35 minutes when Liam Walker had levelled the tie with an opener on 25 minutes.
A nervy contest saw the hosts almost send the tie to extra-time when they struck the crossbar after the interval.
There was late drama in stoppage time when Shels were reduced to 10 men. Sean Gannon was shown a straight red card for his part in a melee that resulted in striker Sean Boyd needing to be substituted due to a nose injury.
Shels will now travel to Zurich next week in the first leg of their second-round tie.
“It was a dramatic end. I spoke to the guys before the game and I said I don’t think I have ever seen a pretty game of football here because of the heat, the astro, the dryness of the pitch,” Duff said.
“We always try and paint a reasonably good picture for them and let them know what to expect and I told them it could be a war, it could be a battle at times and it ended up that.
“I have been reading up on Gibraltar history over the last few days and I believe there have been 14 wars, 14 battles, and I told the lads today that this could be the 15th and it ended up being that. We came out on top.
“I always say to you guys and the players, it’s us against the rest of Ireland, maybe the world. I think it was true tonight because that decision on the side of the pitch was mind-boggling. We’ve seen back the footage. Sean Boyd is in there getting stitches in his nose. They’ve finished the game with 11 men, we’ve finished with 10 and it showed the spirit of the guys to see it out.
“I thought there was a couple of reds for them but brilliant learning for them and hopefully it’s not another 18 years before we’re back in Europe, it’s year-in, year-out now. It’s the dark arts of European football, something we need to learn better.”
Duff’s family made the trip to Gibraltar and he joked that was the reason for not getting involved in the fiery scenes near the end.
“I’m glad I didn’t get too involved in the melee because my dad would be giving out to me later but here maybe I’m maturing and trying to bring a bit of calm to it. Yeah it was nice, listen, it shows the buy-in from my family. I probably don’t give them the time I should because of Shelbourne but having my wife, my kids, my dad, my two brothers, my in-laws, not many people like their in-laws but I do, I love my in-laws.
“I was greedy with my tickets, I got eight tickets from the club because I wanted people here. It was brilliant for them but most importantly the guys, the ladies, the kids spending their hard-earned cash to get there, it’s for them.”
