By:
Graeme Hanna
Linfield 1 Shelbourne 1. It was always going to be an uphill task for the Blues to pull back a one goal deficit, and that rang true at Windsor Park this evening.
The contest was effectively ended on 63 minutes when Ben Hall was sent off for a trip on Mipo Odubeko, who was clean through to face Chris Johns for a goal-scoring opportunity.
It was a late lunge after Matthew Orr had sold him short with a pass, under pressure from the first-leg goalscorer. The 18-year-old won’t look back on the lapse fondly.
Shels were already finding more space in the second half, with their superior match fitness showing. Linfield had to chase, but the Tolka Park side were in the ascendency in the Blues’ half.
Just as Linfield’s Fitzpatrick was given a free chance in the first half, the same happened in the opening stages of the second half. Sub keeper Lorcan Healy repeated Conor Kearns error by firing the ball into Callumn Morrison, but the Scot couldn’t take advantage with the net gaping from distance.
David Healy knows that in a game of fine margins, these chances have to be taken.
https://twitter.com/BBCSPORTNI/status/1945579405952078004
Shels off to Azerbaijan, Blues to Lithuania
The final act of the night on the pitch was the final whistle after six minutes of added time. No further meaningful action transpired on the pitch, with the away side squandering a few decent chances to win the game as well as the tie.
The Blues fell short as Joey O’Brien’s men got the job done. A team relatively inexperienced in Europe can be happy with their showing, especially the excellent Mipo Odubeko up front, who held the ball and led the line in style. He occupied the Blues’ defence all night and should have scored to top off his shift.
The North v South, all-Ireland clash was won by Shelbourne, but more importantly they have banked the lifeline jackpot that comes with progression.
With both teams now going their separate ways in Europe, Shelbourne will host Qarabag in Drumcondra next week in the Champions League, while Linfield will head to Lithuania to face Zalgiris in the Europa Conference League.
It was an excellent contest on the Windsor Park pitch, with plenty to unpack before both sides resume continental action next week.
Full-time in Belfast. Linfield 1 Shelbourne 1.
Image credit: Graeme Hanna/PunditArena
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