Euro stars’ journey begins

Shelbourne 4 Glentoran 1 (Shelbourne win 6-2 on aggregate)

All Glentoran had to show for their travels south was a sending off for captain Paul Leeman and a first-half equaliser which had briefly given them the illusion of hope.

Shels reward is another big Euopean night a second round clash with Steaua Bucharest, the first leg of which will take place next Wednesday at Tolka Park.

Despite some talk during the week about the possibility that he might make one change in the line-up, Shels boss Pat Fenlon wisely opted to stick with the starting eleven which had beaten Glentoran 2-1 in the first leg in Belfast.

But his counterpart Roy Coyle, as expected, replaced Stephen Parkhouse and Jody Tolan with last season's regular strike force of Michael Halliday and Chris Morgan, a double act which had improved Glentoran's potency when coming on as subs with 30 minutes to go in The Oval.

But the pattern of that game was repeated almost from the start at Tolka Park, although this time Shelbourne would make more of the many chances which came their way.

Barely two minutes had elapsed when David Crawley, Crowe and Byrne combined to open the Glentoran defence with ease, but from straight in front of goal, the unmarked Byrne could only blast wide.

Nine minutes later, Wes Hoolahan served further notice of Shelbourne's desire to settle the tie early, with a shot from 25 yards which flew wide.

But Glentoran's reprieve didn't last long. With 14 minutes gone, Glens captain Paul Leeman was booked for a foul on Crowe out on the left flank.

Crawley stepped up to float in a typically deep free-kick and there, at the far post, was Shels captain Owen Heary, whose forceful header bounced down and then up into roof of net.

But if, at 3-1 on aggregate, the game seemed up for Glentoran, no one had bothered to tell the team which had fought back well, if belatedly, in Belfast. In the 20th minute, a swift Glens raid sowed confusion in the Shels defence, but when striker Michael Halliday appeared to have been brought down by goalkeeper Dean Delaney, German referee Sipple allowed advantage to be played, and Peter McCann was able to knock the loose ball into an unguarded net.

The goal gave the travelling support of 1,500 in a crowd of 6,000 something to sing about but, despite some worrying sloppiness in the Shels defence, normal service was swiftly resumed, as Elliott Morris who had played so well in The Oval was forced to save superbly from a header by the spring-heeled Dessie Baker.

Shels continued to dominate, and got a second just after the half-hour mark.

Again, the apparently jinxed Paul Leeman was involved, adjudged to have blocked a fierce Stuart Byrne drive with his arm inside the box.

A second yellow card was produced and Leeman who had also been at fault for Shelbourne's two goals in The Oval was off. And again, as in Belfast, Jason Byrne stepped up to drive home the penalty.

The one-way traffic continued until half-time, as 10-man Glentoran struggled to weather sustained Shels pressure, with Baker going close, first from distance and then from close-range.

The second half brought little respite for the visitors, although the slippery Chris Morgan did his best to create something for Glentoran upfront.

But just before the hour mark, Shelbourne finally put the outcome beyond doubt. After a measured build-up on the right, Owen Heary's deflected cross was superbly volleyed into the top corner by Crowe, the helpless Morris no more than a static onlooker in the Glentoran goal.

And on 71 minutes, Shelbourne made it four. Again Heary provided the expert service, and this time it was Byrne who flicked a looping header over Morris and into the net.

There was even time now for the Shels fans to indulge themselves, cheering Dave Rogers' progress as the big stopper made a rare sortie out of defence.

With Steaua Bucharest beckoning, the Red faithful will no doubt also be dreaming of a repeat of something like Rogers' stunning goal against Hadjuk Split at this venue last season.

But Steaua, it goes without saying, will be a very different prospect from a limited and luckless Glentoran side.

Meantime, Shelbourne can claim the honour of being only the second League of Ireland side in history to win both legs of a tie in Europe's premier club competition.

The last time it happened was in 1970 when the competition was still called the European Cup. The winners then were Waterford. And the losers? Glentoran.

SHELBOURNE: Delaney, Heary, Rogers, Hawkins, Crawley, Baker, Byrne S, Hoolahan (Crawford 72), Cahill, Crowe (O'Neill 83), Byrne J (Fitzpatrick 83).

GLENTORAN: Morris, Nixon, Walker, Leeman, Holmes, Ward (Parkhouse 68), Lockhart, McCallion, McCann (Keegan 45, Melaugh 89), Halliday, Morgan.

Referee: Peter Sippel (Germany).