Stephen Kenny has dedicated Dundalk’s return to European action tonight to the people who kept the club afloat when it appeared it might go out of existence two years ago.
And the SSE Airtricity League leaders, unbeaten now in nine games in all competitions, won’t feel the need to change their passing game for the challenge the Luxembourgers may pose, according to manager Kenny.
“This is a great experience for the club,” said Kenny. “This is for all the people who kept the club alive back in 2012 and it shows just how far we’ve come in such a short space of time. We qualified based on our season last year and we have to justify that.
“Europe is always something you want to be a part of. We’ll go there with confidence, but we respect Jeunesse,” added Kenny of Luxembourg’s record title-holders who are likely to field several internationals, among them 88-times capped defender, Eric Hoffmann.
“We’ll prepare well and we will continue to play the way we are used to. We don’t have to modify our style, unlike some other League of Ireland sides of the past, so we can play our natural game and get a result.”
Winger Daryl Horgan is Kenny’s main doubt due to a shin injury picked up in Friday’s 2-2 draw at Derry City. Defender Mark Rossiter and midfielder Keith Ward are also injury concerns while club captain Stephen O’Donnell remains sidelined for the season due to a knee injury.
The sides meet in the return leg at Oriel Park on Thursday of next week with the winners facing Croatian side Hajduk Split in the second qualifying round.
