It was a less carnival atmosphere than the visit of Deportivo La Coruna to Lansdowne Road last year, but in the end the same tactics were on view and the same result duly followed at Tolka Park last night.
In the end, the half-chances that fell for Shelbourne were not taken, and against this type of quality opposition half-chances are all you are likely to see. Considering this, though, Pat Fenlon had few complaints.
"It was a decent game against a good side. We produced a disciplined performance and if we'd taken our chances in the first half we might have won. It was a fair result but we didn't create enough chances," said Fenlon.
He has little interest in changing the formation for the trip to Bucharest: "We're pleased that we are going out there with a chance. A decent chance. I think we will be playing a fairly similar formation."
Then, a Romanian reporter decided to throw a snide remark into the fray: Why did you criticise us today? Fenlon looked at him and asked "Uh, who me?" Your side. He seemed to be implying the media and management were one.
"I don't know what papers you are reading but I never criticised. Steaua are a good side."
Remember Oleg Protasov? He who ruined that perfect night in Hanover eight years ago? Yes, the Ronnie Whelan night. The famous Mick McCarthy long throw and clearance for Ronnie to strike so sweetly (it never hit his shin).
The bizarre theme of them against us continued with Protasov's arrival to the post-match press conference. He read something, somewhere (we are yet to find the culprit) that said his team would not be good enough. It sounded like a good way to motivate international footballers playing in foreign climes.
"We were expecting a better result; we controlled the second half, but there is still another leg," said the Ukrainian. "I was not happy that we did not create many chances. Sometimes you need luck to get results. But I believe in my team."
No need for panic, and although there is hope, Shelbourne will know their chance may be gone. It may be the only realistic option at this level, but one man up front patently didn't work last night. Glen Crowe, a chance on 26 minutes aside, never got out in front of the four towering Steaua defenders.
Not for lack of trying, but Ollie Cahill or Richie Baker never made the consistent penetration required down the flanks. Losing Wes Hoolihan to a bug, which also affected Stuart Byrne early yesterday and ensured he was way off the pace, hindered the game plan. He was replaced on 35 minutes by Jim Crawford. A fitter Curtis Fleming would also have helped.
"It just came on me today. I felt it before we left the hotel and then on the bus. It is a different story if you feel this a few days before. It came on me like a ton of bricks," said an under the weather Byrne.
"We probably could have nicked a goal but the important thing was to keep a clean sheet and we done that. A couple of things didn't go our way. And that's were we fell down. But again the important thing was we kept a clean sheet," he repeated.
So, all in all not a bad night. But the bad blood that surfaced should ensure an interesting welcome awaits Fenlon and his team next week. One hopes the mysterious bug can be addressed before take off to Eastern Europe.
