David Sneyd

THERE ARE DIFFERENT challenges facing the three League of Ireland sides in European action this week.

Shelbourne play Qarabag in the second leg of their second round Champions League qualifier tonight trailing 3-0 after a disastrous final 10 minutes in Dublin saw them concede twice.

It won’t be a game they go chasing in the dead heat of Baku, in front of an estimated 25,000 home supporters (and around 60 travelling fans) who now understandably view this tie as a formality en route to their 12th successive group/league phase campaign in European competition.

“At this level, or at any level, you cannot start off it a little bit or make individual mistakes [in] the first part of the game, because you just won’t get back into it,” he said.

“You can’t go out going off on a mad one at it early doors because you get picked off.”

The Shels boss insisted after the first leg that any player somehow lacking motivation or not showing the right attitude in preparation for this second leg wouldn’t make it onto the plane for Azerbaijan.

Other than the injury to goalkeeper Conor Kearns he has a full complement to choose from, so that speaks to the motivation levels for a squad that, barring the most stunning comeback in European history from an Irish club, will be dropping into the third qualifying round of the Europa League.

The loser of HNK Rijeka from Croatia and Ludogorets of Bulgaria await, a tie in the balance after a 0-0 in the first leg.

There is no such safety net for St Patrick’s Athletic, who know they must avoid defeat to Estonian outfit Nomme Kalju in Tallinn tomorrow in order to keep their European adventure alive.

The Saints dominated their first leg in Richmond Park and even after their opponents had two men sent off on 64 and 69 minutes it took an injury-time winner from Chris Forrester to give Stephen Kenny’s side a slender advantage.

Should they get the job done then Pat’s will need to deliver another historic moment by overcoming the loser of Besiktas and Shakhtar Donetsk. At the moment it is most likely to be the Turkish side, managed by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, after they lost 4-2 at home last week.

Such a fixture is a carrot but Kalju might yet provide the stick in Estonia’s national stadium, the A. Le Coq Arena, unless Pat’s remain resolute defensively and provide as much of a threat in the final third as they did at Richmond Park.

They had 32 shots on goal compared to the Estonians’ two, yet it took that late Forrester magic to find a way through.

Shamrock Rovers had no such issues away in Gibraltar, easing past St Joseph’s with a 4-0 win that means avoiding injuries will be the primary concern for Stephen Bradley.

Kosovans Ballkani are in pole position to meet them in round three after their 4-2 win over Floriana of Malta. Naturally, there is an element of fixture congestion set to come with European progress but there might be some relief for the Hoops should Prishtina – the other Kosovan side in action – make it past Larne.

That would mean Sunday’s Premier Division game with Derry City will have to be rearranged as Rovers would face Ballkani away from home next Tuesday.

Such logistics depend on what happens on the pitch, a focus that Shels midfielder JJ Lunney was quick to insist remained sharp despite the 3-0 defeat last week.

“[These games] give you a good understanding maybe of what level you could play at. It’s obviously everyone’s dream to play at the highest level you can, and you obviously find out a lot about yourself in these games.

“Obviously, when you play in the league, we all know we can play in the league, that’s why we’re here, but everyone would like to play at a higher level, and I think it is good to know when you play against them and you do well, it probably gives you that bit more confidence in yourself and in your own ability.”

Shels were punished for lapses in concentration last week but a solid display tonight will stand them in good stead for a European campaign that is far from over regardless of what happens in Baku.