A 2-1 defeat to Nomme Kalju in Estonia wasn’t enough to stop Shelbourne qualifying for the third qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League, with John Russell’s side winning the tie 6-4 on aggregate.
Their reward is a potential tie with European heavyweights Ajax, who lead 4-1 over FK Vojvodina going into tonight’s return leg at the Johan Cruyff Arena.
The prize on offer was massive, and Shelbourne took a large step towards it when Daniel Kelly got in to score in the 14th minute and extend their aggregate advantage to 6-2.
Nomme Kalju came back after the break despite being reduced to 10-men, but goals from Enrique Esono and Ibrahim Jabir weren’t enough to turn things around.
The Reds got there in the end despite the set-back, after winning the first leg 5-2 at Tolka Park
Russell made just one change to the group that started in Dublin, with Kerr McInroy taking the place of John Henry Francis.
The Reds picked up where they left off, instead of retreating in a bid to protect their three goal cushion.
With risk came reward, something that was helped by an error by the Nomme Kalju goalkeeper in the 15th minute. Kelly swooped in and made no mistake, to put Shelbourne further in front at 6-2 on aggregate.
The home side tried to respond in the lead up to half time with an effort from Enrique Esono and a corner sent in by Alex Boronilstsikov.
Evan Caffrey in action against Maksim Podholjuzin
Shelbourne held firm, and their cause was helped by the 31st minute dismissal of Oleksandr Muslitin over a high studs up challenge on Evan Caffrey.
With an extra man and four goal cushion, Martin used the break to introduce Odhran Casey, Will Jarvis and Daniel Ring for Paddy Barrett, Kelly and Rodrigo Freitas.
As they settled down, Henri Perk launched a long ball over the top that Casey attempted to clear. The defender fumbled it into the path of Esono, and the striker used this opportunity to pull one back for his side in the 49th minute.
The Reds continued to attack despite this setback, which led to a neat passage of play and an low effort from Sean Moore going into the hands of the Nomme Kalju goalkeeper.
Perk was also on hand to get to a low Evan Caffrey shot in the 71st minute at the near post, during another push by Shelbourne.
There was another goal in the tie, and it fell the way of Nomme Kalju from a Nikita Ivanov corner headed in by Jabir in the 75th minute.
The closest they got to get a third was from a stunning Ivanov strike in the dying seconds, and that came off the crossbar.
Nomme Kalju: Henri Perk; Danyl Mashchenko (Danil Sotsugov HT), Maksim Podholjuzin, Roko Vukusic, Alex Boronilstsikov (Aleksandr Nikolajev 67); Rommi Siht, Oleksandr Muslitin, Bogdan Vastsuk (Modou Tambedou 74); Tiago Baptista (Nikita Ivanov 62); Mihhail Orlov (Ibrahim Jabir 62), Enrique Esono.
Shelbourne: Edward Beach; Milan Mbeng, Kameron Ledwidge, Paddy Barrett (Odrhan Casey HT), James Norris (Sean Gannon 73); Daniel Kelly (Will Jarvis), Kerr McInroy (JJ Lunney 62), Ali Coote; Evan Caffrey, Rodrigo Freitas (Daniel Ring HT), Sean Moore.
Referee: Jóhan Hendrik Ellefsen (Faroe Islands).