Dundalk survived the heat and a number of major scares to claim a scoreless draw against Bruno's Magpies in their Europa Conference League first qualifying round first-leg tie at Victoria Stadium.
Stephen O’Donnell’s side were well on top against the Gibraltar outfit in the opening half and should have taken the lead through Daniel Kelly.
However, Alfonso Cortijo’s side grew into the game, which was played in 31 degrees of sunshine, and passed up a number of big chances either side of half-time to potentially take a lead to Oriel Park next Thursday.
In the end, they couldn’t find a breakthrough. Dundalk will be the happier of the two sides with the result and will be hopeful of finishing the job on home soil next week.
Both sides had chances from range in the early stages with Archie Davies firing well over for Dundalk on three minutes before José Giraldez tried to catch Nathan Shepperd out with a shot from 40 yards out a minute later that trickled harmlessly wide.
The visitors should have hit the front on 13 minutes, however, when Kelly’s cross from the right picked out the inrushing Johannes Yli-Kokko, who saw the ball drift just wide after coming off his shoulder.
The Louth men were left scratching their heads how they didn’t break the deadlock 10 minutes later when Patrick Hoban slipped Ryan O’Kane in on goal. The teenager was denied by Jaylan Hankins, who then made an even better save with the follow-up to spring up and block Kelly’s effort from the rebound with his feet.
There was a brief scare for Dundalk in the aftermath of that double chance as Bruno’s Magpies broke upfield with Jack Storer somehow failing to hit the target from close range with a chance that would have been ruled out anyway due to the offside flag being up.
Ex-Birmingham City player Storer thought he had opened the scoring on 31 minutes when he beat Shepperd but Darragh Leahy was back on the line to clear his effort.
The former Republic of Ireland U21 international came to his side’s rescue again four minutes later when he blocked Joseph Chipolina’s acrobatic effort from a corner.
Hoban then had two big chances to break the deadlock before the break, heading agonisingly wide from Leahy’s corner before seeing his flick turned around the post by Hankins in stoppage time.
The Magpies should have been ahead within 30 seconds of the restart as Chipolina's cross from the left found Giraldez unmarked eight yards out but he fired over with only Shepperd to beat.
Dundalk had another let-off on 49 minutes as Chipolina's long throw was headed clear by Hoban but only as far as Kyle Casciaro, who met it on the volley but fired straight at Shepperd.
Casciaro would slice another half chance wide moments later before former Cork City player Liam Nash hooked another effort wide.
Giraldez then shaved the outside of the post on 57 minutes after being picked out unmarked by Andre Dos Santos.
Dundalk had their first chance of the second half six minutes later when Kelly picked out O’Kane but his effort was partially blocked by Dos Santos, making it an easy stop for Hankins.
Davies then wormed his way into the box from the right on 79 minutes but his effort was blocked by Olmo Gonzalez.
There was then a major let-off for Dundalk a minute later as Nash got in behind Andy Boyle on the right. He lifted the ball over Shepperd but it bounced just wide of the left hand post with Anthony Hernandez unable to turn it in.
There was a late chance for Connor Malley in stoppage time but his effort cannoned off team-mate John Martin and looped over.
Bruno’s Magpies: Jaylan Hankins; Andre Dos Santos, Ruben Diaz, Olmo Gonzalez, Joseph Chipolina (Scott Ballantine 89); Jamie Coombes, Carlos Garcia, Joe (Dan Bent 74), Kyle Casciaro (Juan Arguez 60); Jack Storer (Liam Nash h-t), José Giraldez (Anthony Hernandez 74).
Dundalk: Nathan Shepperd; Archie Davies, Andy Boyle, Louie Annesley, Darragh Leahy; Greg Sloggett, Connor Malley; Daniel Kelly, Johannes Yli-Kokko (John Martin 87), Ryan O’Kane (Alfie Lewis 73); Patrick Hoban.
Referee: Mohammad Usman Aslam (Norway)
