Dundalk booked their spot in the Europa League Second Qualifying Round with a convincing 2-1 win against CS Grevenmacher at Oriel Park.
The tie may have been evenly balanced at 3-3 coming into the game but it was as good as over after 16 minutes as Ian Foster's side completely dismantled their opponents from Luxembourg. They now travel to Bulgaria next week for a mouth watering tie against Bulgarian giants Levski Sofia.
Playing their first European tie at Oriel Park in 19 years, the Lilywhites settled any potential nerves by hitting the front in the fifth minute.
Tiarnan Mulvenna, who was rewarded for scoring in the Louth derby against Drogheda United on Monday night with a place in the starting line up, knocked the ball down for Fahrudin Kuduzovic.
The Bosnian attempted to turn for goal but found himself on the end of a bodycheck by Khalid Benichou. Icelandic referee Magnus Thorrison had no hesitation pointing to the penalty spot and Neale Fenn sent Marc Pleiming the wrong way from 12-yards.
Before the game Grevenmacher boss Marc Thome singled out Kuduzovic as Dundalk's danger man and the Bosnian certainly lived up to his billing. Kuduzovic rattled the post in the second minute, won the penalty in the fifth and doubled the home side's lead in the 16th.
It came from an error by Khalid Benichou, who conceded a late own goal to level the tie at 3-3 in the first leg. The big centre back gave the ball away needlessly on the edge of his box. Fenn picked it up and created a yard of space with some delightful skill and Kuduzovic was on hand to sweep the ball home from close range.
Foster's side dominated the remainder of the first-half. Alan Cawley hit the outside of the post after a delicious flick from Fenn and Ross Gaynor also cracked the upright just after the half hour mark.
Grevenmacher offered very little to suggest a way back into things. Sebastien Hartung blazed wide when presented with an opportunity to shoot while Samir Louadj fired off target with their best chance of the half in the 34th minute.
They improved ever so slightly in the second-half with Adrien Baur seeing an effort hacked off the line by Garry Breen but Dundalk continued to open them up at will with Stephen Maher and Ross Gaynor spurning opportunities of a third.
Grevemacher hit a late consolation through Christian Muller but it wasn't enough to stop Dundalk progressing to the second round of a European competition for the first time since 1981.
Dundalk: 22 Matt Gregg; 2 Shaun Kelly, 4 Tom Miller, 5 Garry Breen, 3 Wayne Hatswell; 17 Tiarnan Mulvenna (23 Michael McGowan, 72 mins), 8 Alan Cawley, 7 Stephen Maher (16 Stephen McDonnell, 76 mins), 11 Ross Gaynor; 9 Fahrudin Kuduzovic (19 Johnny Breen, 89 mins), 10 Neale Fenn (captain).
Subs not used: 12 Michael Synnott, 13 Nathan Murphy, 15 Ciaran McGuigan, 18 Mark Griffin.
Booked: Maher, 23 mins.
CS Grevenmacher: 1 Marc Pleiming; 14 Gabriel Pereira Gaspar (3 Dariusz Brzyski, 72 mins), 22 Tim Heinz (captain), 5 Khalid Benichou (23 Tobias Lorig, 44 mins), 11 Sebastien Hoffman; 9 Adrien Baur, 21 Johnathon Furst, 7 Sebastian Hartung, 20 Bobby Mendes (26 Goncalo Almeida Da Silva, 61 mins); 17 Christian Muller, 10 Samir Louadj.
Subs not used: 12 Kevin Hartert, 6 Adis Omerovic, 13 Igor Stojadinovic, 27 Christian Braun.
Booked: Hartung, 14 mins; Gaspar, 52 mins.
Referee: Magnus Thorrison (Iceland).
