The group stages of the UEFA football competitions sneak up on you, especially during a major tournament year so as Spain were celebrating their victory over England in France, Shamrock Rovers, Shelbourne and Derry City were playing the most lucrative and the most enervating games of their mid season.
Shelbourne and Derry were both in action against part-time teams from Gibraltar. Shelbourne took a 1-0 lead from Tolka Park last week out to St Joseph’s last night but conceded in the 26th minute to make the tie all square. An equaliser ten minutes later from Sam Bone was enough to nudge them in front and a rocket off the crossbar and a late red card were not enough to derail them.
Damien Duff was in his happy place.
The Dublin side will now face FC Zurich, comparative European royalty, in Switzerland next week, edging one step closer to the group stages.
The win last night secures them a minimum payout of €700,000 for the campaign.
If support alone was enough Derry City would have won themselves at the Brandywell but an extra time strike from Bruno’s Magpies ended their dreams and the prospect of a trip to Copenhagen, leaving the League of Ireland representation at two.
Shamrock Rovers had lived through a dramatic 96th penalty miss at Tallaght Stadium on Tuesday night to secure their advance to the next round of the Champions League Qualifying.
0-0 from the trip to Reykjavik last week, Rovers went 209 up in 20 minutes before conceding to set up the drama of the late miss that would have forced extra time.
Winning means at least a two leg tie against Sparta Prague with Tallaght again hosting next Tuesday night. The draw for the third round where more of the big guns enter, the likes of Glasgow Rangers and Red Bull Salzburg.
Even a defeat though means one more play off for the Europa League and a guaranteed minimum windfall of €1.7 million for Rovers.
In between the two remaining sides have Sports Direct FAI Cup ties to navigate this weekend with Rovers and Bohs the standout tie of the round tonight and Shelbourne travelling to the Carlisle Grounds in Bray on Sunday.
The League of Ireland has provided drama and storylines aplenty this year, as well as record attendances. Supporting it is a lot more fun than waiting on half baked rumours about players who you have probably never heard off joining Premier League clubs for tens of millions.
That has its place but more mid-summer madness, try and get yourself down to your local ground.
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