Drogheda United 1 IK Start 0 (Aet Agg 1-1. Ik Start win 11-10 on penalties): Drogheda's European adventure ended in the cruellest way possible as Graham Gartland missed two penalties in a sudden death shoot-out in a nail-biting finale.
A distraught Gartland was the only Drogheda player to miss, both his efforts saved by Start keeper Rune Nilssen, after the cycle started again - the first 11 penalties having failed to separate the sides.
Drogheda goalkeeper Dan Connor, who'd saved brilliant from Alex Valencia, was then sent the wrong way from Stefan Barlin's second penalty of the night to put the Norwegians through to today's first-round draw.
Beginning somewhat nervously, Drogheda's normally solid defence uncharacteristically gave up several good chances in the first half. Andthere was a right let off for them when Connor could only fumble away a free kick into his area from Valencia that glanced off Gartland's head and Steinar Pedersen scuffed his shot wide from 12 yards.
A little spell of decent possession brought only momentary relief as Start again all too easily picked holes in the Drogheda rearguard; Bard Borgersen was left unmarked at the back post from Marius Johnsen's precise cross to volley off the outside of Connor's left-hand upright.
Drogheda produced their first constructive opening on the half hour when Samie Ristila, a surprise in the starting line-up, put Robinson away down the right and his cross was taken off the toe of Shane Barrett by Pedersen.
Drogheda were now troubling their visitors' sluggish defence when they got forward and they forced the first real save of the night on 40 minutes. Ristila showed his strength to hold the ball up for Paul Keegan whose lay off was met by Shane Robinson to bring the stop from Nilssen.
The lack of pace in the Start defence was evident again as Ristila once more carved an opening two minutes into the second half. Getting his clever back heel returned by James Keddy, Ristila burst through form the inside left channel to shoot narrowly wide.
Connor had much of the 4,124 attendance gasping minutes later when his attempt to dribble past Kristoffer Haestad almost back fired before he recovered to clear. Just when it appeared Drogheda's shortcomings in front of goal would cost them, they contrived a terrific goal to level the tie on aggregate on 84 minutes.Fed by Keegan down the left, Barrett cut inside a defender and picked out substitute Eamon Zayed at the far post to head home a goal that their endeavour fully deserved.
DROGHEDA UNITED: Connor; Lynch, Gavin, Gartland, Webb; Keegan, Bradley, Keddy (Whelan, 71 mins); Robinson, Ristila (Zayed, 57 mins), Barrett (Gray, 96 mins).
IK START: Nilssen; Pedersen (Paulsen, 91 mins), Haaland, Borgersen, Johnsen; Fevang (Stromstad, 83 mins), Aarsheim, Haestad; Valencia, Nielsen (Barlin, 71 mins), Garba.
Referee: M Germanakos (Greece)
