Uefa Conference League Second Qualifying Round first leg:
Shelbourne 5
Nõmme Kalju 2
SHELBOURNE EARNED AN emphatic 5-2 victory over Nõmme Kalju of Estonia in the first leg of their Uefa Conference League clash tonight.
Goals from Rodrigo Freitas, Sean Moore and Ali Coote saw Shelbourne race into a commanding lead, before Enrique Esono gave the visitors hope shortly before half-time.
Further goals from Moore and substitute Daniel Ring early and late in the second half added to their advantage before Esono struck late again.
Despite the stoppage-time setback, the Irish side will be confident of progressing based on this first leg.
Shelbourne came into this game on the back of a difficult season. They are fifth in the Premier Division table after 24 matches and parted ways with manager Joey O’Brien last month.
His successor, John Russell, had an unfortunate start, getting knocked out of the FAI Cup by Kerry FC on penalties last week.
For this game, Seán Boyd, John Martin and Mipo Odubeko were all unavailable through injury, and Odhrán Casey was suspended, though Kerr McInroy was fit enough for a place on the bench, while another key player, Harry Wood, departed for Stockport last week.
Injuries to goalkeepers Wessel Speel and Conor Walsh also meant a start for Wales U21 international Eddie Beach.
Meanwhile, Nõmme Kalju – who were dumped out of the Conference League by St Pat’s at the same stage last year – are third in the Estonian league after 20 games and beat Linfield 3-2 on aggregate in the last round.
The Irish side got off to the perfect start. Sean Moore found space down the right and crossed low for Freitas to tap into the empty net.
The hosts did most of the attacking in the early stages, and Freitas missed a golden chance to double his tally.
The Portuguese striker was sent through on goal by Daniel Kelly, but goalkeeper Henri Perk stood up well and blocked his finish.
Shels were not to be denied for long, though.
A well-worked move ended with Evan Caffrey slipping through Moore and the Ireland U21 international made no mistake with a clinical finish on just his second start of the season after an injury-ridden period.
Minutes later, Coote got in on the act, firing home a low finish from the edge of the area to continue a brilliant first half for Russell’s men.
After a disastrous opening half an hour, the visitors made an early change with attacking midfielder Tiago Baptista replacing defender Maksim Podholjuzin.
The substitute threatened to make a swift impact, as Beach got down well to save his low shot following a rare Nomme Kalju counter-attack.
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Shels almost made it four as half-time approached. James Norris’ cross found Milan Mbeng and the full-back’s powerful shot came back off the woodwork.
Instead, it was Nomme Kalju who got one back. It came about after Beach misread the situation. The goalkeeper came far off his line and failed to gather the ball. Esono still had plenty of work to do, though, and lofted it over the debutant from outside the area and into the net with a fine finish.
There was still time for Perk to palm away Paddy Barrett’s header from Coote’s hanging cross.
Kalju’s Enrique Esono celebrates scoring. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
But Shels made another fast start after the break, and Moore headed home a pinpoint cross from Daniel Kelly from the left to restore their three-goal advantage.
The hosts continued to dominate and were on top for much of the second half.
Mbeng was causing their opponents problems down the right and one of his crosses saw Kelly head a good chance wide.
McInroy also looked lively when he came on, with Baptista doing well to turn the dangerous cross behind for a corner.
The Scottish midfielder then sent through Caffrey, but the 23-year-old fired narrowly wide.
Substitute Daniel Ring had a goal-bound shot blocked, and Kelly headed wide in the dying minutes.
Ring did find the net late on, however, finishing coolly after being sent through on goal.
But Esono’s clipped finish from close range in stoppage time maintained his side’s faint hopes of progressing.
The winner of the tie will face whoever prevails between Serbian outfit Vojvodina and Dutch giants Ajax – the latter are expected to go through after a 4-1 first-leg win tonight.
Shelbourne: 19. Edward Beach 25. Milan Mbeng 29. Paddy Barrett 4. Kameron Ledwidge (Bone 81) 18. James Norris 27. Evan Caffrey 21. Jack Henry Francis (Lunney 81) 22. Sean Moore (Jarvis 74) 14. Ali Coote (McInroy 66) 20. Rodrigo Freitas (Ring 81) 17. Daniel Kelly
Subs: 13. Murray Johnson 2. Seán Gannon 6. JJ Lunney 15. Sam Bone 23. Kerr McInroy 36. Will Jarvis 44. Daniel Ring 55. James Roche 56. Joey Wuna 60. Cillian Ryan
Nomme Kalju FC: 1. Henri Perk 46. Roko Vukušić 50. Maksim Podholjuzin (Baptista 30) 78. Danyl Mashchenko 22. Aleksandr Nikolajev (Boronilštšikov 58) 20. Modou Tambedou 8. Oleksandr Musolitin 26. Rommi Siht 59. Bogdan Vaštšuk (Sõtšugov 77) 10. Nikita Ivanov (Orlov 58) 17. Enrique Esono
Subs: 69. Maksim Pavlov 4. Alex Boronilštšikov 5. Uku Kõrre 7. Daniil Tarassenkov 9. Chinemerem Godwin 11. Mihhail Orlov 21. Tiago Baptista 30. Ibrahim Jabir 52. Idalécio Dias 88. Daniil Sõtšugov
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Ireland U21 international stars as Shelbourne earn emphatic win in Europe
Uefa Conference League Second Qualifying Round first leg:
Shelbourne 5
Nõmme Kalju 2
SHELBOURNE EARNED AN emphatic 5-2 victory over Nõmme Kalju of Estonia in the first leg of their Uefa Conference League clash tonight.
Goals from Rodrigo Freitas, Sean Moore and Ali Coote saw Shelbourne race into a commanding lead, before Enrique Esono gave the visitors hope shortly before half-time.
Further goals from Moore and substitute Daniel Ring early and late in the second half added to their advantage before Esono struck late again.
Despite the stoppage-time setback, the Irish side will be confident of progressing based on this first leg.
Shelbourne came into this game on the back of a difficult season. They are fifth in the Premier Division table after 24 matches and parted ways with manager Joey O’Brien last month.
His successor, John Russell, had an unfortunate start, getting knocked out of the FAI Cup by Kerry FC on penalties last week.
For this game, Seán Boyd, John Martin and Mipo Odubeko were all unavailable through injury, and Odhrán Casey was suspended, though Kerr McInroy was fit enough for a place on the bench, while another key player, Harry Wood, departed for Stockport last week.
Injuries to goalkeepers Wessel Speel and Conor Walsh also meant a start for Wales U21 international Eddie Beach.
Meanwhile, Nõmme Kalju – who were dumped out of the Conference League by St Pat’s at the same stage last year – are third in the Estonian league after 20 games and beat Linfield 3-2 on aggregate in the last round.
The Irish side got off to the perfect start. Sean Moore found space down the right and crossed low for Freitas to tap into the empty net.
The hosts did most of the attacking in the early stages, and Freitas missed a golden chance to double his tally.
The Portuguese striker was sent through on goal by Daniel Kelly, but goalkeeper Henri Perk stood up well and blocked his finish.
Shels were not to be denied for long, though.
A well-worked move ended with Evan Caffrey slipping through Moore and the Ireland U21 international made no mistake with a clinical finish on just his second start of the season after an injury-ridden period.
Minutes later, Coote got in on the act, firing home a low finish from the edge of the area to continue a brilliant first half for Russell’s men.
After a disastrous opening half an hour, the visitors made an early change with attacking midfielder Tiago Baptista replacing defender Maksim Podholjuzin.
The substitute threatened to make a swift impact, as Beach got down well to save his low shot following a rare Nomme Kalju counter-attack.
Shels almost made it four as half-time approached. James Norris’ cross found Milan Mbeng and the full-back’s powerful shot came back off the woodwork.
Instead, it was Nomme Kalju who got one back. It came about after Beach misread the situation. The goalkeeper came far off his line and failed to gather the ball. Esono still had plenty of work to do, though, and lofted it over the debutant from outside the area and into the net with a fine finish.
There was still time for Perk to palm away Paddy Barrett’s header from Coote’s hanging cross.
But Shels made another fast start after the break, and Moore headed home a pinpoint cross from Daniel Kelly from the left to restore their three-goal advantage.
The hosts continued to dominate and were on top for much of the second half.
Mbeng was causing their opponents problems down the right and one of his crosses saw Kelly head a good chance wide.
McInroy also looked lively when he came on, with Baptista doing well to turn the dangerous cross behind for a corner.
The Scottish midfielder then sent through Caffrey, but the 23-year-old fired narrowly wide.
Substitute Daniel Ring had a goal-bound shot blocked, and Kelly headed wide in the dying minutes.
Ring did find the net late on, however, finishing coolly after being sent through on goal.
But Esono’s clipped finish from close range in stoppage time maintained his side’s faint hopes of progressing.
The winner of the tie will face whoever prevails between Serbian outfit Vojvodina and Dutch giants Ajax – the latter are expected to go through after a 4-1 first-leg win tonight.
Shelbourne: 19. Edward Beach 25. Milan Mbeng 29. Paddy Barrett 4. Kameron Ledwidge (Bone 81) 18. James Norris 27. Evan Caffrey 21. Jack Henry Francis (Lunney 81) 22. Sean Moore (Jarvis 74) 14. Ali Coote (McInroy 66) 20. Rodrigo Freitas (Ring 81) 17. Daniel Kelly
Subs: 13. Murray Johnson 2. Seán Gannon 6. JJ Lunney 15. Sam Bone 23. Kerr McInroy 36. Will Jarvis 44. Daniel Ring 55. James Roche 56. Joey Wuna 60. Cillian Ryan
Nomme Kalju FC: 1. Henri Perk 46. Roko Vukušić 50. Maksim Podholjuzin (Baptista 30) 78. Danyl Mashchenko 22. Aleksandr Nikolajev (Boronilštšikov 58) 20. Modou Tambedou 8. Oleksandr Musolitin 26. Rommi Siht 59. Bogdan Vaštšuk (Sõtšugov 77) 10. Nikita Ivanov (Orlov 58) 17. Enrique Esono
Subs: 69. Maksim Pavlov 4. Alex Boronilštšikov 5. Uku Kõrre 7. Daniil Tarassenkov 9. Chinemerem Godwin 11. Mihhail Orlov 21. Tiago Baptista 30. Ibrahim Jabir 52. Idalécio Dias 88. Daniil Sõtšugov
Referee: Szabolcs Kovacs (Romania)
Attendance: 3,357
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