A third qualifying round clash with last season's Champions League semi-finalists Deportivo La Coruna awaits Shelbourne if they can overturn the one goal advantage of Hajduk Split tonight when the pair meet in the second leg of their Champions League clash at Tolka Park.
Hajduk have a narrow 3-2 advantage from the first leg but face a difficult task to progress against a Shelbourne side confident that they can end their Tolka Park hex in European competitions.
Not since 1993 have Shelbourne won at home in European competition, though manager Pat Fenlon believes that his current side should be able to put an end to that disappointing statistic.
He said: “I don't think that history really matters because most of the players haven't played in so many of the games. I've been involved in a few of them myself, but this team are the best we've had.
Fenlon insists that the odds are stacked in Shelbourne's favour but warned that they must be patient and not give Hajduk too many opportunities.
He added: “I am confident because I can look around at the quality we have available to us. This team is technically very good and it never knows when it is beaten which is something that I think was lacking for the Shelbourne teams I played with.”
Filed by Mark O'Neill-Cummins
