SHELBOURNE’S EUROPEAN DREAM is over for another year after a 5-3 aggregate loss to Ajax in tonight’s Uefa Conference League second-leg tie.
For a glorious 15-minute spell, Tolka Park was rocking after an Evan Caffrey goal gave the Irish side a lifeline in the tie and briefly shifted the momentum in the hosts’ favour.
But Ajax were dominant and composed for the most part, with first-half goals from Julian Brandt and Anton Gaaei either side of Caffrey’s strike sealing the win over two legs.
A late goal from Seán Moore drew the Irish side level on the night, but they seldom looked capable of turning this tie around.
And overall, it has been a turbulent season for the Dublin team, who are fifth in the Premier Division table and parted ways with manager Joey O’Brien last month.
An encouraging European run had been one of the bright spots of an otherwise inconsistent campaign, but the Reds had their work cut out against the Dutch giants, who finished a disappointing fifth in the Eredivisie last season and kicked off the new campaign with a 2-0 victory away to PEC Zwolle last Sunday.
Shelbourne made three changes from the first leg. Odhran Casey, JJ Lunney, and Rodrigo Freitas came into the team for Paddy Barrett, Jack Henry-Francis and Moore, with only the latter making the bench.
Ajax made five alterations from last week – Jorthy Mokio, Marcos Leonardo, Maher Carrizo, Oliver Edvardsen and Julian Brandt (a summer signing from Borussia Dortmund) replaced Oscar Gloukh, Mika Godts, Kasper Dolberg, Davy Klaassen and Steven Berghuis.
Ajax started strongly, pinning Shels back, but the hosts posed a threat on the counter-attack.
Early on, Kerr McInroy got on the end of a low Rodrigo Freitas cross, but directed his effort over the bar.
Down the other end, Ajax went close as Gaaei’s deflected effort from distance hit the outside of the post.
The deadlock was broken in the 20th minute. A corner was taken short by Brandt to Mokio and returned to the Germany international, whose low cross evaded everyone and trickled into the corner of the net.
But Shelbourne responded almost instantly. After being set up by McInroy, Caffrey created space on the edge of the area by escaping the attentions of Maher Carrizo and blasted his effort into the top corner with the aid of a deflection.
Evan Caffrey scores against Ajax!!! 🔴@shelsfc respond in rapid fashion as his deflected strike ends up in the net 👏 pic.twitter.com/4OCStp3ZQc
The home side were in the ascendancy now and started putting Ajax under real pressure.
Freitas got on the end of a cross, but his header was parried away for a corner by Maarten Paes.
The Dutch side were also still threatening – Eddie Beach needed to tip over Owen Wijndal’s strike from about 30 yards out.
Seven minutes before the break, Michel’s men re-took the lead. McInroy’s attempted clearance was blocked and rebounded favourably for Gaaei, whose driven shot beat Beach at his near post to silence the home crowd.
The Shels goalkeeper then did well to parry away Owen Wijndal’s driven shot from the edge of the area, but with Shels trailing 5-2 on aggregate at the break, there was a sense that the tie was all but over.
Russell’s men weren’t giving up, though. A sweeping pass from McInroy released Milan Mbeng, and the French player’s powerful cross had to be parried away by Paes.
The visitors, by contrast, now appeared to be playing with the handbrake on. 17-year-old Abdellah Ouazane – the subject of a failed transfer to Real Madrid last year – was among the players introduced.
20 minutes into the second half, Shels thought they had made it 2-2 as Mbeng slotted home at the far post after an inviting cross from James Norris.
But VAR intervened, and a free kick was awarded to Ajax for a foul in the build-up.
That's simply sensational from Sean Moore to make it 2-2 on the night! 🤯
A spectacular late goal from substitute Moore enlivened the fans and reduced the deficit to two goals.
The former West Ham youngster got the better of Caio Henrique before curling an unstoppable effort into the corner of the net.
It was too little too late, however, as the visitors saw out the aggregate victory to deny Shels the chance of a second successive season playing in the competition’s league phase.
Shelbourne: 19. Eddie Beach; 18. James Norris (Jarvis 80) 4. Kameron Ledwidge 16. Odhran Casey 15. Sam Bone (Gannon 60) 25. Milan Mbeng (Moore 80) 6. JJ Lunney (Roche 72) 27. Evan Caffrey 23. Kerr McInroy 20. Rodrigo Freitas (Ring 72) 17. Daniel Kelly
Subs: 13. Murray Johnston 2. Sean Gannon 22. Sean Moore 36. Will Jarvis 44. Daniel Ring 55. James Roche 56. Joey Wuna 60. Cillian Ryan
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Classy Ajax end Shelbourne's European dream
Uefa Conference League:
Shelbourne 2
Ajax 2
Ajax win 5-3 on aggregate
SHELBOURNE’S EUROPEAN DREAM is over for another year after a 5-3 aggregate loss to Ajax in tonight’s Uefa Conference League second-leg tie.
For a glorious 15-minute spell, Tolka Park was rocking after an Evan Caffrey goal gave the Irish side a lifeline in the tie and briefly shifted the momentum in the hosts’ favour.
But Ajax were dominant and composed for the most part, with first-half goals from Julian Brandt and Anton Gaaei either side of Caffrey’s strike sealing the win over two legs.
A late goal from Seán Moore drew the Irish side level on the night, but they seldom looked capable of turning this tie around.
John Russell’s men faced an uphill task, having lost last week’s first leg in Amsterdam 3-1.
And overall, it has been a turbulent season for the Dublin team, who are fifth in the Premier Division table and parted ways with manager Joey O’Brien last month.
An encouraging European run had been one of the bright spots of an otherwise inconsistent campaign, but the Reds had their work cut out against the Dutch giants, who finished a disappointing fifth in the Eredivisie last season and kicked off the new campaign with a 2-0 victory away to PEC Zwolle last Sunday.
Shelbourne made three changes from the first leg. Odhran Casey, JJ Lunney, and Rodrigo Freitas came into the team for Paddy Barrett, Jack Henry-Francis and Moore, with only the latter making the bench.
Ajax made five alterations from last week – Jorthy Mokio, Marcos Leonardo, Maher Carrizo, Oliver Edvardsen and Julian Brandt (a summer signing from Borussia Dortmund) replaced Oscar Gloukh, Mika Godts, Kasper Dolberg, Davy Klaassen and Steven Berghuis.
Ajax started strongly, pinning Shels back, but the hosts posed a threat on the counter-attack.
Early on, Kerr McInroy got on the end of a low Rodrigo Freitas cross, but directed his effort over the bar.
Down the other end, Ajax went close as Gaaei’s deflected effort from distance hit the outside of the post.
The deadlock was broken in the 20th minute. A corner was taken short by Brandt to Mokio and returned to the Germany international, whose low cross evaded everyone and trickled into the corner of the net.
But Shelbourne responded almost instantly. After being set up by McInroy, Caffrey created space on the edge of the area by escaping the attentions of Maher Carrizo and blasted his effort into the top corner with the aid of a deflection.
The home side were in the ascendancy now and started putting Ajax under real pressure.
Freitas got on the end of a cross, but his header was parried away for a corner by Maarten Paes.
The Dutch side were also still threatening – Eddie Beach needed to tip over Owen Wijndal’s strike from about 30 yards out.
Seven minutes before the break, Michel’s men re-took the lead. McInroy’s attempted clearance was blocked and rebounded favourably for Gaaei, whose driven shot beat Beach at his near post to silence the home crowd.
The Shels goalkeeper then did well to parry away Owen Wijndal’s driven shot from the edge of the area, but with Shels trailing 5-2 on aggregate at the break, there was a sense that the tie was all but over.
Russell’s men weren’t giving up, though. A sweeping pass from McInroy released Milan Mbeng, and the French player’s powerful cross had to be parried away by Paes.
The visitors, by contrast, now appeared to be playing with the handbrake on. 17-year-old Abdellah Ouazane – the subject of a failed transfer to Real Madrid last year – was among the players introduced.
20 minutes into the second half, Shels thought they had made it 2-2 as Mbeng slotted home at the far post after an inviting cross from James Norris.
But VAR intervened, and a free kick was awarded to Ajax for a foul in the build-up.
A spectacular late goal from substitute Moore enlivened the fans and reduced the deficit to two goals.
The former West Ham youngster got the better of Caio Henrique before curling an unstoppable effort into the corner of the net.
It was too little too late, however, as the visitors saw out the aggregate victory to deny Shels the chance of a second successive season playing in the competition’s league phase.
Shelbourne: 19. Eddie Beach; 18. James Norris (Jarvis 80) 4. Kameron Ledwidge 16. Odhran Casey 15. Sam Bone (Gannon 60) 25. Milan Mbeng (Moore 80) 6. JJ Lunney (Roche 72) 27. Evan Caffrey 23. Kerr McInroy 20. Rodrigo Freitas (Ring 72) 17. Daniel Kelly
Subs: 13. Murray Johnston 2. Sean Gannon 22. Sean Moore 36. Will Jarvis 44. Daniel Ring 55. James Roche 56. Joey Wuna 60. Cillian Ryan
Ajax: 26. Maarten Paes 3. Anton Gaaei 17. Daley Blind (Baas 46) 30. Aaron Bouwman 5. Owen Wijndal (Henrique 69) 24. Jorthy Mokio 38. Marcos Leonardo (Arokodare 57) 6. Youri Regeer 20. Oliver Edvardsen 7. Maher Carrizo (Janse 70) 8. Julian Brandt (Ouazane 57)
Subs: 1. Marc-André ter Stegen 22. Joeri Heerkens 2. Lucas Rosa 9. Kasper Dolberg 10. Oscar Gloukh 11. Mika Godts 12. Caio Henrique 15. Youri Baas 18. Davy Klaassen 36. Dies Janse 68. Abdellah Ouazane 99. Tolu Arokodare
Referee: Cláudio Pereira (Portugal)
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