TO BORROW a phrase from Lennie Lawrence, it seems as if the last time a National League club won away from home in Europe Christ was a carpenter.
When Lawrence used the original, he was illustrating his team's - at that time, he managed Charlton - inability to earn a penalty away from home. Given that it is September 1982 since a domestic side won away from home in European competition, it has an equally valid application in an Irish context. That 82 team was Shamrock Rovers, who beat Fram Reykjavik 3-0 with goals from Alan Campbell, Liam Buckley and Tommy Gaynor. Since then, there has been exactly a half century of attempts, resulting in seven draws and 43 defeats.
It's not a particularly nice statistic to bring to light, and it would be great if it could he shredded before next season. However, the portents are not particularly promising in advance of Shelbourne's Cup Winners' Cup, preliminary round, second leg tie in Bergen this evening (7.0 local time, 6.0 Irish) against SK Brann. The Norwegian side lead 3-1 from the first leg at Tolka Park.
At least Shelbourne have had another couple of competitive outings in the interim, albeit they were relatively tame League Cup fixtures. This is offset, though, by the unavailability of the suspended Dave Campbell. His fellow centre half, Pat Scully, remains ineligible for the tie.
Accordingly, Damien Richardson will abandon his three man central defensive system and revert to the 4-5-1 formation which won a domestic Cup double last season.
Pascal Vaudequin and Declan Geoghegan will therefore flank the untried central defensive pair of Greg Costello and Mick Neville. Dave Tilson, who has been looking very sharp of late, and Mark Rutherford will flank a five man midfield, from which Tony Sheridan will have licence to support lone front runner Stephen Geoghegan.
Richardson's primary concern is the aerial threat of a gargantuan home side. "Defensively, we've got to get as many people around the ball as possible so that if we don't win the first ball, then we win the second ball," he says. "I want us to get the ball downs and use it quickly. All our work these past two days has been concentrating on one touch and two touch. I feel there is a weakness in Brann, defensively, and I know we're going to have chances."
The Brann manager, Kjell Tennjford, is playing down his side's apparently assured passage into tomorrow's draw in Geneva. "It's going to be a tough game. We know we are going to have to work hard," he said yesterday.
There are two key aspects to the night, game, as Richardson sees it. "It's essential that we approach the game with a fierce belief in our ability. I want us to play to our potential. Any type of win is my priority, but obviously doing enough to get through is the ultimate target. It's asking a lot to win by 3-0," he admits, which brought him to the second key point, "so an early goal is imperative. Looking back on the first leg the penalty they got (which made it 3-1) was the real killer. If we were even going into this game 2-1 down I would be confident."
All of which might sound unreasonably bullish to the folk back home. And maybe it is. Maybe Brann's long ball threat will be realised on what by popular consent is the longest pitch any of the Shelbourne players have ever played on - almost definitely the maximum 120 feet.
The indicators are that the full timers will again overcome the part timers and extend Ireland's winless sequence to 51 games.
Yet, while Shelbourne don't have Brann's physique, match fitness and levels of organisation, they proved in the first leg for about 35 minutes that their technique, passing, movement and, above all, pace are superior.
With quick players at full back and on the midfield flanks in Vaudequin, Declan Geoghegan, Tilson and Rutherford, and Sheridan supporting Stephen Geoghegan from the centre, they have men to hurt Brann. A win of any kind would be welcome.
