Shelbourne’s Euro adventure snuffed out as Icelandic outfit just too strong
UEFA WOMEN’S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUALIFYING ROUND ONE CHAMPIONS PATH
VALUR 3
SHELBOURNE 0
Daire Walsh
SHELBOURNE’S Champions League qualification campaign ended in a comprehensive defeat to Valur in a Champions Path Tournament One final at Fazanerija City Stadium in Slovenia yesterday.
Courtesy of goals from Cyera Hintzen, Sólveig Jóhannesdóttir and Elisa Vidarsdóttir, it is the Icelandic outfit who progress into the 24-team second qualifying round and a shot at reaching the group stages of this prestigious European tournament.
Noel King’s side had reached this phase of the competitetition courtesy of a 1-0 victory against host club Pomurje on Thursday.
Having recently come out of retirement to join forces with the north Dubliners, former USA international Heather O’Reilly bagged the only goal of the contest to set-up this showdown.
However, it was another American who ultimately broke the deadlock with 20 minutes gone on the clock. One of two stateside players in the Valur squad, Hintzen fired home from close-range after her initial effort hit the crossbar.
While Shels were seeing plenty of the possession, it was proving difficult to break down a stern defensive unit. Valur, meanwhile, had a constant attacking threat and visiting netminder Amanda Budden (who was dismissed for a second yellow late on) was kept on her toes.
And Valur did strike late to bring a 2-0 cushion into the half-time break. Cutting inside from the left-flank, Jóhannesdóttir unleashed a powerful right-footed shot beyond the reach of Budden.
Shels were left in a difficult position as the result, but their task became an impossible one inside the opening 60 seconds of the restart as from an assist by Ásdis Halldórsdóttir, Elisa Vidarsdóttir fired home.
Shels maintained their fighting spirit and did have a couple of sights of the target inside the third-quarter. Jemma Quinn fired wide just shy of the hour mark and Rachel Graham also forced a save out of Valur custodian Sandra Sigurdradóttir.
King later looked towards his bench for some fresh legs with Isabelle Glennon and Alex Kavanagh entering the fray alongside earlier substitutes Abbie Larkin and Aoife Kelly. Valur, though, never afforded Shels a foothold into the game.
Shelbourne will now switch their focus back to the Women’s National League and an away trip to Galway this coming Saturday.
VALUR: Sigurdardóttir; Vidarsdóttir, Edvardsdóttir, Ásgrimsdóttir, Petursdóttir; Baldursdóttir (Agustsdóttir 68), Pedersen; Jóhannesdóttir (Entz 74), Halldórsdóttir (Speckmaier 64), Sigfusdóttir (Jensen 64); Hintzen (Gudmundsdóttir 74).
SHELBOURNE: Budden; Stapleton, Slattery, Fox, Keenan (Maguire 79); Starr, Graham (Kavanagh 71), Doyle; O’Reilly (Larkin 56), Murray (Kelly 56), Quinn (Glennon 71).
Referee: V Tsiareshka (Belarus).