Derry City's Patrick McEleney hoping to inspire another comeback in Europe
SECOND LEG; Patrick McEleney before a UEFA Europa Conference League match. Photo by Jussi Eskola/Sportsfile
Patrick McEleney was born, raised and steeped in Derry but gracing Tallaght 150 miles away for his 50th European appearance will evoke special memories.
Similar to Derry, inadequate stadium facilities forced Dundalk from their home ground seven years ago but still accrued capital gains by overturning a first leg deficit against BATE Borisov to reach the Europa League group stages.
McEleney was the catalyst for that 3-0 victory and, now back at his hometown club 18 months, he’s within 270 minutes of reaching the Conference League equivalent at the age of 30.
First the Candystripes must come from a goal down to topple Tobol Kostanay and then navigate a playoff, likely against Viktoria Plzeň, to be among the group draw on September 1 in Monaco.
McEleney will be at the fulcrum of Derry’s tilt to catch the Kazakhstani outfit cold, albeit possibly restricted by an Achilles ailment that has disrupted his season, but Ruaidhrí Higgins will lean on his experience and composure.
“I'd be lying if I said I wasn't thinking about that one specifically,” the midfielder said about the BATE comeback.
“It’s been on my mind about what to say to the player. I was there previously for big return legs, where you have to do the business, and know what's needed. I can only help on based on what I've seen through the years.
"These nights don't come often, you have to look forward to it. We need to get out and start on the front foot and get the big crowd behind us and make it a proper, proper game.”
Shamrock Rovers breached the group stages barrier either side of Dundalk’s breakthrough, in 2011 and last year, and all of the country’s hopes rest on Derry’s shoulders as the sole survivors in this year’s European competition.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that Irish clubs are able to compete for group progression,” said McEleney, whose side swept aside HB Tórshavn (1-0 on aggregate) and KuPS Kuopio (5-4) in the opening pair of rounds.
“Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers flipped that on its head and our team are going really well at the moment.”
Indeed, should Derry win their game in hand against basement side UCD, they will lurch within two points of leaders and champions Rovers. A cracking FAI Cup clash against fellow title contenders St Patrick’s Athletic also awaits the holders at the Ryan McBride Brandywell on Sunday too.
Augmenting that with a first European group schedule up to December 4 would constitute another milestone for the club under the guardianship of billionaire Philip O’Doherty.
He made no secret of a desire to dislodge Rovers following the FAI Cup triumph last year but emerging from the qualifying section of UEFA’s competitions, even their third and lowest tier of the Conference, is where the lucrative financial returns rest.
Whether it’s this year or not, Higgins envisions McEleney as integral to that ambition.
"Patrick has had an amazing career and still has plenty more time left,” he noted about the player who began his professional career during the Roy Keane era at Sunderland.
“I was his teammate at Derry. coached him at Dundalk and I'm now his manager, so I've been through it all with him. From my perspective, he's in the very top echelon of players who have played in the League of Ireland over the past 20 years.
“I know he's been carrying a wee bit of an issue and we've only been able to sort of spring him from the bench in the second half of games but he’s had an impact.
“What people don't see is what Patrick does in the dressing room on a daily basis behind the scenes and his conversations with myself. He’s hungry to win, has an unbelievable appetite for winning and it spreads through this group.”
A brisk, not necessarily frenetic, start is the message Higgins is preaching. Tobol, heavily influenced by a Serbian cohort, are capable of punishing overzealous tactics and putting the tie beyond Derry.
"It doesn't matter if we score our first goal five minutes in or five minutes from full-time,” said the manager who is without injured new recruit Sam Todd.
“We've seen in recent times that our cutting-edge players are in good form and that gives us a real chance."
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