Seeing is believing as Shels draw first blood

THE sign implored the players to believe. And each time the Shelbourne players attacked in the second half, they must have heeded the advice of that flag in red adorning the empty terrace.

Last night was about belief, belief that wrought a scoreless draw against one of the giants of Spanish soccer, Deportivo la Coruna. The semi-finalists of the Champions League had come to Lansdowne Road and were being outplayed. Disbelief had long been suspended.

Shelbourne Football Club were founded yards from this ground 108 years ago. There were plenty of contented ghosts around Ringsend yesterday evening as the entire city of Dublin followed Shelbourne back to their spiritual home.