For Shelbourne, Thursday night's UEFA Conference League opener against BK Hacken was always going to be a step into the unknown, no matter how diligent the opposition scouting and preparation had been.
This being the first time the club would play in the league phase/group stage of a European competition, a number of questions would need to be answered: How would the players rise to the occasion? And how would they deal with the fact that the game would have to be held in Tallaght Stadium rather than their Tolka Park home due to UEFA venue regulations?
The ultimate answer to that came in the form of a 0-0 draw against their Swedish opponents under a leaden, rain-filled canvas. It's a point on the board and something to build on going into the five remaining league phase games including clashes against Crystal Palace and Troy Parrott's AZ Alkmaar.
Both sides had their moments in the first half but the battle ultimately hinged on how the right side of Shelbourne's defence dealt with Hacken's left side particularly as a second half, in which the Dubliners were at times on the back foot, wore on.
It was insightful to hear from Hacken's manager Jens Gustafsson who admitted that some of his preparation had identified a need to deal with the Shels right flank.
"The right side is quite strong in Shelbourne but also the counter-attacking and the balls into the box and the set-pieces were very, very tough," he told RTÉ Sport after the draw.
Shels had generally contained Hacken with relative comfort in the first half with their 5-2-2-1 shape morphing into a 4-3-2-1 out of possession as they sat in a lower block.
Indeed, in one first-half instance, Sean Gannon - the right centre-back on the night - could be seen egging on his wing-back Milan Mbeng to push forward towards the right of the midfield to support JJ Lunney and Kerr McInroy.
But a half-time substitution from the visiting side changed the dynamic. Left winger Danilo Al-Saed was brought on and the Sweden-born Iraq international made an instant impact, regularly finding space in the gaps behind Mbeng.
One example just after the hour mark, saw Gannon get sucked forwards and Hacken exploit the space by releasing Al-Saed in behind.
Only for his crosses not finding their mark - something his manager rued in his post-match debrief - and bold defending from Paddy Barrett in particular inside the Shelbourne box, Hacken were not able to profit.
From Shels manager Joey O'Brien's point of view, that aspect of the game was a case of risk and reward and he was satisfied to see his side emerge unscathed.
"That's just managing the game. They obviously rolled the dice a little bit in that sense and we still wanted to go (forward) at times as well with Milan, so we didn't want to be just completely safe," he told RTÉ Sport in the post-match press conference.
"So there's always that bit of cat and mouse really and Milan had a chance back stick as well when a cross came in from Evan (Caffrey) and their left back sort of let it go.
"We could have nicked it there I suppose so there's always that weighing up of taking your times. But here, they're good players so they're going to ask questions of you.
"But as I said, Milan dealt quite well with (Al-Saed) but then when he got crosses into the box there were some brilliant clearances then in the centre of the box then."
O'Brien has a fitness concern over Gannon who was forced off four minutes after the passage of play when Al-Saed got in behind him.
"We'll have to get him scanned I think. He felt something in his calf," the Shels manager said.
"I'm not too sure if it's a kick or he felt something so we'll see."
It was an unfortunate conclusion to a landmark night for 34-year-old Gannon. In making his 63rd appearance in a European game, the right-sided defender joined Ronan Finn in becoming the joint-highest appearance holder for an Irish player in UEFA competition.
"Ganno is a legend in the League of Ireland, let's be honest," team-mate Paddy Barrett told RTÉ Sport's John Kenny in the mixed zone afterwards.
"We have our arguments on and off the pitch but look, I love Ganno.
"Ganno is a legend of the League of Ireland, I love playing with him. He's had an unbelievable career.
"He's the most decorated League of Ireland player that there ever is so it's a credit to him. He's still going, he's still flying at this stage and he's a credit to himself as well."
And speaking of flying, that won't come until after the international break. On 23 October, Shelbourne will look to build on the point earned against BK Hacken when they jet off to North Macedonia to grapple with a KF Shkendija side that lost 2-0 at Spanish top-flight side Rayo Vallecano earlier on Thursday.
With back-to-back games versus big hitters AZ Alkmaar and Crystal Palace to come on 27 November and 11 December respectively, the supposition is that the next two fixtures against Shkendija and Kosovan side Drita could go a long way to helping Shelbourne towards the magical seven point mark that could be enough to seal progression among the 24 teams that advance further into the Conference League.
"I think genuinely and I know it's a boring answer but you can only look at the next game really and you just do your homework on them, assess them, try to come up with a game plan and try and attack that game, and that's how it's going to be. I don't think you can look too far down the line really," O'Brien said.
"We wanted to make sure we got something out of the game tonight so we'll move on and get ready for the next one."
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