Shelbourne opened the league phase campaign with a creditable 0-0 draw against Swedish side BK Häcken.
Tonight, they face another test as they play Shkendija, who are currently third after nine matches in the Macedonian top flight.
Already guaranteed over €3 million, a win tonight would net the Dublin side an additional €400,000, while €133,000 is the reward for drawing games.
Joey O’Brien’s side are in decent form, winning their last four successive Premier Division matches, including a defeat of soon-to-be-champions Shamrock Rovers.
As a result, they are virtually assured of European football again next season, as they sit third with two games to play.
23 Oct 2025
5:34PM
Confirmation of the Shelbourne starting XI…
𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬 🚨
Your 𝙍𝙚𝙙𝙨 𝙓𝙄 is confirmed to face KF Shkendija ! 🔥
18 mins: It continues to be a fairly scrappy game with chances at a premium.
Joey O’Brien will probably be happy enough with how his side have started as they look pretty comfortable so far.
23 Oct 2025
6:11PM
21 mins: Nervy moment for the hosts.
The goalkeeper Gaye and Trumçi go for the same ball as a low Norris cross is delivered into the box.
Neither of them claims it, and the loose ball falls to Odubeko, but the angle is too awkward for the striker to convert.
There is an offside flag raised eventually anyway, but it’s more evidence of potential vulnerability in the Shkendija defence.
23 Oct 2025
6:14PM
24 mins: Mbeng makes a good run down the right, but his low cross is gathered by Gaye.
It’s another encouraging moment for the visitors, as the former Cork City player appears to have the beating of opposition full-back Webster, who is a Jamaican international.
23 Oct 2025
6:16PM
29 mins: Tamba takes a punt from the edge of the area, but his effort goes well over.
It’s been a relaxed evening for Shels goalkeeper Speel so far.
23 Oct 2025
6:19PM
31 mins: Trumçi bursts into the area before his low cross is deflected out for a corner via the leg of Speel.
The hosts have upped the tempo in recent minutes and are looking a bit more threatening.
23 Oct 2025
6:22PM
33 mins: Nervy moment for Shels, as Krasniqi delivers a dangerous ball over the top.
However, Speel gets to the ball ahead of Latifi and is fouled in the process.
23 Oct 2025
6:28PM
40 mins: Wood attempts a shot, but it deflects off Cake and goes harmlessly into Gaye’s hands.
The main disappointment for Joey O’Brien at half-time will be that his side haven’t created any real clear-cut chances.
This time, Martin wins a free kick after holding the ball up well.
Alhassan then gets booked for stopping a quick free kick.
23 Oct 2025
7:08PM
65 mins: So close to a goal for Shels.
McIlroy curls in a free kick that is met by the head of an unmarked Martin.
But unfortunately for the Irish side, the striker’s effort comes back off the post.
23 Oct 2025
7:13PM
70 mins: Mbeng makes a brilliant run down the right.
After creating space, he unfortunately overhits the cross.
Shkendija then make another change – Qaka replaces Alhassan.
As I type, Tamba gets in behind Shels’ defence, but he doesn’t properly get a hold of his wayward shot from a tight angle.
23 Oct 2025
7:15PM
73 mins: McInroy finds Boyd, whose shot from the edge of the area deflects out for a corner.
The Irish team are looking the more likely team to win it.
Meanwhile, Joey O’Brien makes another attacking change, with Kelly replacing Norris.
23 Oct 2025
7:20PM
77 mins: Lunney gets booked for cynically stopping Tamba from sprinting forward on the counter-attack.
It’s the Shkendija player’s last act, as he’s replaced by Krstevski.
23 Oct 2025
7:23PM
82 mins: Double change for Shels.
Coote and Caffrey come on, McInroy and Henry-Francis depart.
23 Oct 2025
7:25PM
83 mins: The game is stopped as Gaye is receiving treatment.
The value of a point on the road can’t be underestimated, but you get the feeling Shels will be slightly disappointed if they don’t come away with a win, given how this match has panned out.
23 Oct 2025
7:27PM
86 mins: Martin wins another free kick near the corner flag.
Trumçi gets booked for hacking the striker down as he uses his strength to get away.
23 Oct 2025
7:30PM
87 mins: Coote delivers a dangerous-looking free kick into the area.
The goalkeeper fails to claim it, but the referee blows for a free kick as Sean Boyd seemingly is adjudged to have committed a foul.
23 Oct 2025
7:32PM
89 mins: Bad news for Shels as Sean Boyd hobbles off with an injury, having only come on after 60 minutes.
The visitors will finish the game with 10 men as they have made all their subs.
Meanwhile, Shkendija make one last change, as Ademi replaces Krasniqi.
They were comfortable for much of the game and looked the more likely team to score in the second half.
It felt like a game they could have and perhaps should have won.
But they didn’t really capitalise on their superiority and were made to pay in the form of that stoppage-time Barrett own goal in what was their one real defensive slip-up all evening.
The injury to Boyd is another blow — although it’s unclear yet how bad it is — as they finished the match with 10 men.
23 Oct 2025
7:42PM
Right, that’s all from me for now.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
You can follow our Shamrock Rovers liveblog here, and we’ll have more Shelbourne reaction to come.
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As it happened: Shkendija v Shelbourne, Uefa Conference League
Shkendija 1-0 Shelbourne
Hello, and welcome to tonight’s liveblog.
Shelbourne opened the league phase campaign with a creditable 0-0 draw against Swedish side BK Häcken.
Tonight, they face another test as they play Shkendija, who are currently third after nine matches in the Macedonian top flight.
Already guaranteed over €3 million, a win tonight would net the Dublin side an additional €400,000, while €133,000 is the reward for drawing games.
Joey O’Brien’s side are in decent form, winning their last four successive Premier Division matches, including a defeat of soon-to-be-champions Shamrock Rovers.
As a result, they are virtually assured of European football again next season, as they sit third with two games to play.
Confirmation of the Shelbourne starting XI…
Who do you think will win?
Poll Results:
We’re underway…
4 mins: Decent start by Shelbourne.
Wood’s cross finds Mbeng, whose header is comfortably saved, and it was ruled offside regardless.
Still, the Irish side have begun this game on the front foot.
7 mins: Latifi attempts a cross from deep, but it goes straight out of play.
The hosts have yet to put Shels’ defence under any serious pressure.
11 mins: Cake gets the game’s first yellow card.
He is penalised for a late challenge on Henry-Francis.
18 mins: It continues to be a fairly scrappy game with chances at a premium.
Joey O’Brien will probably be happy enough with how his side have started as they look pretty comfortable so far.
21 mins: Nervy moment for the hosts.
The goalkeeper Gaye and Trumçi go for the same ball as a low Norris cross is delivered into the box.
Neither of them claims it, and the loose ball falls to Odubeko, but the angle is too awkward for the striker to convert.
There is an offside flag raised eventually anyway, but it’s more evidence of potential vulnerability in the Shkendija defence.
24 mins: Mbeng makes a good run down the right, but his low cross is gathered by Gaye.
It’s another encouraging moment for the visitors, as the former Cork City player appears to have the beating of opposition full-back Webster, who is a Jamaican international.
29 mins: Tamba takes a punt from the edge of the area, but his effort goes well over.
It’s been a relaxed evening for Shels goalkeeper Speel so far.
31 mins: Trumçi bursts into the area before his low cross is deflected out for a corner via the leg of Speel.
The hosts have upped the tempo in recent minutes and are looking a bit more threatening.
33 mins: Nervy moment for Shels, as Krasniqi delivers a dangerous ball over the top.
However, Speel gets to the ball ahead of Latifi and is fouled in the process.
40 mins: Wood attempts a shot, but it deflects off Cake and goes harmlessly into Gaye’s hands.
The main disappointment for Joey O’Brien at half-time will be that his side haven’t created any real clear-cut chances.
HALF-TIME: SHKENDIJA 0-0 SHELBOURNE
So half-time and it’s been a pretty cagey affair.
Both sides have relied on half-chances, with neither goalkeeper seriously tested.
Shkëndija have been relatively unimpressive and give the impression that they will be one of the weaker sides Shels will face in the league phase.
With that in mind, it feels like this game is there for the taking for the Premier Division outfit if they can play with more ambition.
The second half has begun…
The hosts aren’t happy with how that first half panned out.
They made a double change at the break.
Zejnullai and Latifi are replaced by Ramadani and Spahiu.
50 mins: Krasniqi tries a shot from distance, but it’s well off target.
Shkëndija continue to look fairly short on ideas of how to break Shels down.
As I type, another long-range effort from Spahiu goes a few inches wide.
54 mins: Half-chance for Shels.
Odubeko slips through Henry-Francis.
But the former Arsenal youngster can’t hit the target from a tricky enough angle.
57 mins: Krasniqi’s free kick from about 30 yards out is on target but doesn’t trouble Speel.
Shkendija have had plenty of efforts from distance since half-time, but none have come close to opening the scoring.
60 mins: Shels make a double change.
Odubeko and Wood go off, Boyd and Martin come on.
61 mins: The two substitutes combine straight away down the right.
Boyd ultimately wins a free kick after a late challenge on him by Webster.
The ensuing set piece is half-cleared to McInroy, but the midfielder’s first-time effort sails over the bar.
64 mins: The Shels subs are making an impact.
This time, Martin wins a free kick after holding the ball up well.
Alhassan then gets booked for stopping a quick free kick.
65 mins: So close to a goal for Shels.
McIlroy curls in a free kick that is met by the head of an unmarked Martin.
But unfortunately for the Irish side, the striker’s effort comes back off the post.
70 mins: Mbeng makes a brilliant run down the right.
After creating space, he unfortunately overhits the cross.
Shkendija then make another change – Qaka replaces Alhassan.
As I type, Tamba gets in behind Shels’ defence, but he doesn’t properly get a hold of his wayward shot from a tight angle.
73 mins: McInroy finds Boyd, whose shot from the edge of the area deflects out for a corner.
The Irish team are looking the more likely team to win it.
Meanwhile, Joey O’Brien makes another attacking change, with Kelly replacing Norris.
77 mins: Lunney gets booked for cynically stopping Tamba from sprinting forward on the counter-attack.
It’s the Shkendija player’s last act, as he’s replaced by Krstevski.
82 mins: Double change for Shels.
Coote and Caffrey come on, McInroy and Henry-Francis depart.
83 mins: The game is stopped as Gaye is receiving treatment.
The value of a point on the road can’t be underestimated, but you get the feeling Shels will be slightly disappointed if they don’t come away with a win, given how this match has panned out.
86 mins: Martin wins another free kick near the corner flag.
Trumçi gets booked for hacking the striker down as he uses his strength to get away.
87 mins: Coote delivers a dangerous-looking free kick into the area.
The goalkeeper fails to claim it, but the referee blows for a free kick as Sean Boyd seemingly is adjudged to have committed a foul.
89 mins: Bad news for Shels as Sean Boyd hobbles off with an injury, having only come on after 60 minutes.
The visitors will finish the game with 10 men as they have made all their subs.
Meanwhile, Shkendija make one last change, as Ademi replaces Krasniqi.
There will be four minutes of stoppage time…
SHKENDIJA 1-0 SHELBOURNE (BARRETT OWN GOAL)
It’s heartbreak for Shelbourne.
A corner falls for Webster, and the full-back’s low cross is unwittingly turned into his own net by Barrett.
FULL-TIME: SHKENDIJA 1-0 SHELBOURNE
That’s a bitter pill to swallow for Shelbourne.
They were comfortable for much of the game and looked the more likely team to score in the second half.
It felt like a game they could have and perhaps should have won.
But they didn’t really capitalise on their superiority and were made to pay in the form of that stoppage-time Barrett own goal in what was their one real defensive slip-up all evening.
The injury to Boyd is another blow — although it’s unclear yet how bad it is — as they finished the match with 10 men.
Right, that’s all from me for now.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
You can follow our Shamrock Rovers liveblog here, and we’ll have more Shelbourne reaction to come.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
League of Ireland Liveblog LOI Minute-by-Minute Shkendija Soccer Shelbourne