No concessions, warns Fenlon

A WIN would be a bonus but a clean sheet is imperative — that’s the mantra for Shelbourne as they face up to the stiff challenge of Steaua Bucharest in the first leg of their Champions’ League second round qualifier at Tolka Park this evening (7.30pm).

Pat Fenlon has promised his side will be "aggressive" in the attacking sense, but of concern to the Shels manager is preventing the Romanian champions from getting a vital away goal. Or more.

The point is sharpened for the Irish champions by the realisation that the team has conceded a number of sloppy goals in recent matches, including two over the course of the opening round defeat of Glentoran and, more worrying, a further brace shipped in the league against Bray last Friday which saw Shels surrender three points after being two goals up.

Captain and full-back Owen Heary accepts the side cannot afford similar lapses of concentration tonight.

"We haven't kept clean sheets in recent weeks and we were two goals up against Bray and let in two soft goals," he said.

"That's a bit worrying at times but we can put it right against Steaua.

"It was probably a bit too easy in the first half in Bray. In the second half we went out and didn't make the tackles, we started dropping off players and letting them turn.

"The things we had done well over the last couple of years we stopped doing. It's something we can put right because we are decent defenders, we know how to do it. It's just a matter of tuning in for 90 minutes rather than 45 or 60. It's just concentration. There have been crucial times in games when we've tuned out and that's not just the back four or five, it's the team as a whole. We need to work a bit harder on that side of it."

They will also hope that the goals flow at the other end this evening,

although it's unlikely that, against Steaua, Glen Crowe and Jason Byrne will enjoy as many chances as have come their way over recent weeks.

"Scoring goals was probably our problem at the start of the season people were saying Jay (Jason Byrne) and Glen Crowe) weren't doing well," says Heary. "But in the last few weeks they have been on fire, we're getting plenty of scoring opportunities. That end of it is good but the defending end isn't so good at the moment."

Indeed, the full-back has turned striker himself, grabbing two goals in two games for the eircom champions.

"They were two great balls in, I just had to attack them," he says.

"We've worked on set-pieces probably because Eamonn (Collins) was at St Pat's and that's the sort of thing they were good at but it's paid off in the last couple of weeks. But I'd rather not score them and keep a clean sheet."

The context for this evening's game a home tie against top-class east European opposition is bound to evoke comparison with last year's campaign and, in particular, the pulsating victory over Hajduk Split at a packed Tolka Park. For the players, says Heary, that memory is more of an inspiration than a pressure; having developed a taste for European glory, Shels want more of the same, please.

"The crowd can play a big part," says Heary, ahead of a game which is expected to draw a full house.

"Last year against Hajduk Split, they spurred us on. We won 2-0 but we had a lot of other chances in that game. Over in Split we came back with a 3-2 defeat, which was great, but the crowd here is a different story. They are on top of you here. Everyone thought Hajduk were a quality team, but it went against them. Hopefully it will be the same this time."

For goalkeeper Dean Delaney, who came back to Ireland after spells at Port Vale and with an Everton youth team which included Francis Jeffers, Richard Dunne, and Leon Osman, the chance to play in a Champions League qualifier vindicates his career move.

"One time at Port Vale we had a promotion push but this is Europe," says the man who has taken over from Shels number one Steve Williams.

"This a completely different game, a completely different atmosphere. It will probably be the biggest game I've been involved in but I don't want to approach it like that. I just want to approach it as just another game. That's stood me well so far."

Delaney could be in for one of his busiest games of the season, if manager Fenlon's homework on Steaua is anything to go by.

"They have maybe three or four of even five good individual players we've identified," says the Shelbourne boss.

"They're good in most departments. They have decent forwards that can score goals, two very good centre- halves, a good right-back, a good left-sided player, good right-sided player, (smiling) a good reserve goalkeeper. Nah, they're a good side. But you can't legislate for individuals at this level. You've got to work as a team, and look at them as a team."

And with Fenlon's men unexpectedly lagging far behind Cork City in the domestic league, this is one of those nights when Shelbourne really do need to raise their game.

A win would be desirable, a draw acceptable but defeat would leave them with a formidable task in the second leg in Bucharest and the prospect of half a season in which catch-up rather than celebration would be the name of the game.