SOCCER/UEFA Champions League Second qualifying round, first leg/Hajduk Split - 3 Shelbourne - 2: Two vital away goals have given Shelbourne a wonderful chance to reach the third round of the Champions League as they narrowly lost in Croatia last night.
Trailing 3-1 to an 83rd-minute strike by Dragan Blatnjak, Shelbourne's hopes of joining the likes of Juventus and Manchester United in the third round were hanging by a thread, but Alan Moore steered home a late second goal to give them hope in the second leg.
It was a hugely encouraging performance by Shelbourne as, after taking an early lead through Glen Fitzpatrick, they defended well, limiting the home side's opportunities while also creating a number of chances. A Jason Byrne rocket that came back off the crossbar was the best chance that they failed to score from.
Shelbourne couldn't have asked for a better start when Fitzpatrick gave them the lead after just four minutes when he bundled home a Moore cross, but Hajduk were soon creating opportunities of their own with the majority of play for the rest of the game flowing in the direction of the Shelbourne goal.
The onslaught began in the 11th minute when Almir Turkovic fired over from a Blatnjak cross. Gradually the home side got closer to beating Steve Williams, until the striker eventually found the net after Shelbourne's defence was momentarily caught ball-watching by a quick free-kick.
Shelbourne's main threats were coming from set-pieces, with defender Jamie Harris twice heading over from centres by Moore and Jason Byrne as they struggled to cope with the dominance of Turkovic in midfield.
The midfielder should have put Hajduk in front in the 26th minute but miscued his shot.
Hajduk continued to press forward and David Crawley needed to clear a Turkovic header off his line in the final minute of the first half, though it was Shelbourne who finished the half with a flourish as Stuart Byrne sent a powerful header inches wide of the post after Ollie Cahill's corner caused problems in the defence.
However, things started to go wrong for Shelbourne in the 48th minute when Natko Racki's low cross was turned in by Petar Suto, though Shelbourne refused to give up with Jason Byrne rattling the underside of the crossbar with a magnificent strike after good work from Fitzpatrick.
But their efforts looked to be wasted when Blatnjak headed home Hajduk's third with seven minutes remaining, only for Moore to score what could be a vital second away goal in the last minute of the game after a goal-mouth scramble.
HAJDUK SPLIT: Balic, Suto, Cacic, Turkovic, Veji, Blatnjak, Carevic, Racki, Pralija, Neretljak, Rukavina. Subs: Munhoz for Turkovic (61 mins), Mesic for Racki (70 mins).
SHELBOURNE: Williams; Heary, Rogers, Harris, Crawley; Hoolahan, Moore, S Byrne, Cahill; Fitzpatrick, J Byrne. Subs: Crawford for S Byrne (78 mins), McCarthy for Hoolahan (87 mins).
Referee: V Kassai (Hungary).
