AS ONE OF the most decorated League of Ireland players in the history of European competition, Dan Murray has no shortage of fond memories to reflect on from the days when he represented Cork City and Shamrock Rovers against international opposition.
It started for the now-retired central defender with a two-goal contribution to City’s Intertoto Cup triumph against Swedish side Malmo in 2004. It peaked in 2011 when he captained Rovers to reach the group stages of the Europa League.
In between, he also made a decisive intervention in a tie that is often overlooked when the most significant results achieved by Irish clubs in Europe are recounted.
For Cork City, eliminating Apollon Limassol from the first qualifying round of the Champions League in 2006 was a much more impressive feat than many realised at the time. Perspective could be found in the subsequent progress of Cypriot clubs in Europe.
“I’d say it probably was taken for granted a bit,” says Murray, who made a total of 37 European appearances, a tally that is only bettered by Gary Rogers and Ollie Cahill among the domestic fraternity.
Having captained Cork City to the League of Ireland Premier Division title in 2005, Murray led them into the Champions League the following year.
The build-up to the tie against Apollon was overshadowed by the absence of talismanic playmaker George O’Callaghan due to a rift with manager Damien Richardson. Star striker John O’Flynn also missed out through injury. Winger Liam Kearney — who had joined Shelbourne — was another key loss from the team that won City’s first title in 12 years.
Nevertheless, the Leesiders were in the ascendancy by the time they boarded the flight to Cyprus for the return leg. A brilliant strike from Billy Woods — the main beneficiary from Kearney’s departure — was the only goal of the first leg at Turner’s Cross.
Seven days later, amid sweltering temperatures at the GSP Stadium in Nicosia, Apollon finally levelled proceedings early in the second half thanks to Polish international Lukasz Sosin. Yet it was Murray who ultimately settled the contest in the 74th minute, when he escaped his marker to emphatically head in Neale Fenn’s corner.
“The main thing I remember from the second leg — apart from the goal — is the heat,” Murray recalls. “I think the game kicked off at 9pm local time but it didn’t seem to be any cooler. It was the hottest weather I think I’ve ever played in.
“From what I remember, we got battered for most of that game. We held on for the first half, they scored just after half-time, but luckily I nicked a goal. After that we were actually quite comfortable. But the heat is definitely the thing that stands out.
“Irish clubs were having some good results in Europe back then, so there was almost an expectation that you’d get through at least one round. But looking back now, you appreciate even more how hard that was, especially when you see Cork City and St Pat’s not able to do that this year.
“It’s a massive shame to say that we were able to beat a team like them [Apollon Limassol] all those years ago but their league seems to have gotten a lot stronger since then and ours hasn’t.”
For the first time since their defeat to Cork City, Apollon Limassol will face Irish opposition this evening in the first leg of their Europa League second round qualifier against Shamrock Rovers, who Murray joined from City in 2010.
Just two years after Apollon fell to Irish opposition, the Cypriot representatives in the Champions League for the 2008-09 season — Anorthosis Famagusta — dumped out the likes of Rapid Vienna and Olympiakos to reach the group stages.
The champions of Cyprus have made it that far on four further occasions since that initial breakthrough, with APOEL going all the way to a quarter-final against Real Madrid in 2011-12.
Apollon have been involved in the Europa League’s group stages in four of the last six campaigns. Last season they eliminated FC Basel over two legs, before recording wins over Marseille and Lazio in Group H.
An influx of foreign players has been the catalyst for the vastly improved performances of Cypriot clubs in Europe. The Apollon side that started last week’s second leg against Kauno Zalgiris of Lithuania featured seven nationalities. Only two players from Cyprus were in the line-up, as Argentine attacker Emilio Zelaya notched a hat-trick to seal a 6-0 aggregate win.
On the back of their 2-1 victory over Norwegian outfit SK Brann seven days ago, Rovers will need to deliver another memorable European night at Tallaght Stadium (8pm) if they’re to have a realistic chance of advancing to the third qualifying round.
“I’d just tell the players to grasp the opportunity,” said Murray, who faced the might of Juventus and Tottenham Hotspur in Europe during his two-year spell as a Shamrock Rovers player.
“The first leg especially is just about staying in the tie. If they can take a clean sheet over to Cyprus they could have a great chance. With the quality of players that Shamrock Rovers have got, you’d feel they can create chances wherever they go. A clean sheet, stay in the tie, and have no regrets coming off the pitch at the end — that would be my message.”
The second leg will take place in Cyprus next Thursday, with Austria Wien awaiting the winners.
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