LOI In Europe 2025

So at HT Rovers are comfortable. If they can avoid being hit on the break as these lads are quick, they dont look like creating a whole lot otherwise - lashing in shots after a ball breaks when a tidy passes are on in better positions. On the on the other hand SC look a bit vulnerable to Rovers buildup play especially down the left, their the ones hoofing the ball away rather than passing it out. Unusual to see I think. I know Rovers dont have to force the game but regardless, they have been composed, tidy, probing selectively and creating chances.

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Originally Posted by 2 Year Contract

Maybe, or maybe as predicted prior to the tie, he’s playing against an absolutely awful football team from a league ranked 15 below our own ;)

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Theres no place for logic here!

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Originally Posted by Dermobohs

Linfield , apart from Shiels and the no 9, are shockingly bad, really miles off it.
Shels are a solid Loi premier side, top 3 guaranteed, full time and it shows.
I would love to see the two clubs’ budgets because I reckon the billy boys are being ripped off big styleeee, first div Loi, and nowhere near play off at best.

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I’d go as far as to say that Linfield are not even as good as Larne in Europe, who have done much better in recent years when it comes to getting results home and away.

I see Reijka got battered 5-0 by PAOK. Be just Shels luck to draw them again.

Some save by McGinty

Was about to shaout about the need for subs as Rovers were losing the foothold. The difference it makes to have a keeper than can be trusted and able to bail out a side. It was close to him but was coming at pace pretty close and to get it up and over the bar. Was a good save and not a looked good and should be saved one.

Well done Shels. Hope they can get a decent draw.

Wow. If you'd told me 20 years ago one Irish team reaching group stages in a season, I'd have hardly believed it but two in one season is mental stuff.

That was pretty impressive from Rovers. Looked so comfortable for all but the last 5 minutes and should have had it wrapped up long before then… and this is against a Portuguese team! 2 teams in the group stages. What is the world coming to??

Shams were very comfortable there for most of the match. Some going against a team who were 5th in Portugal.

Do the other clubs get double the payments from UEFA now?

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Originally Posted by holidaysong

Wow. If you'd told me 20 years ago one Irish team reaching group stages in a season, I'd have hardly believed it but two in one season is mental stuff.

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If you told me 14 years ago this week, when Rovers won in Belgrade that we would not only qualify for groups regularly, but would have 2 teams in the main phase in the same season, I would not have believed you.

Ollie already weaving his majic in heaven to ensure both teams got through

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Originally Posted by Nah Nah Nah Nah

Shams were very comfortable there for most of the match. Some going against a team who were 5th in Portugal.

Do the other clubs get double the payments from UEFA now?

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Double payments ?

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Originally Posted by D24Saint

Double payments ?

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Looks like last years payment was divided by 9 so assume it’s divided by 8 this time

But is there more to be divided by 8?

Or is the total pot set by country rather than teams in the group stage?

I don't care if Linfield are around Cork City's level, it has been a professional performance under challenging circumstances since Duff's sudden departure over the past two months from Joey O'Brien/Luke Byrne/Coaching Staff/Players resulting in this huge achievement for the club

I certainly don't like Shamrock Rovers and I definitely don't like to praise them but that is an incredible achievement to successfully navigate through three ties to make a Conference League group stage while in the play-off defeating the 5th place team in the Portuguese league, it's astonishing that Stephen Bradley after what he has achieved for them was under any type of pressure from certain quarters within the club during the past 12 months

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Originally Posted by total hoofball

I don't care if Linfield are around Cork City's level, it has been a professional performance under challenging circumstances since Duff's sudden departure over the past two months from Joey O'Brien/Luke Byrne/Coaching Staff/Players resulting in this huge achievement for the club

I certainly don't like Shamrock Rovers and I definitely don't like to praise them but that is an incredible achievement to successfully navigate through four ties to make a Conference League group stage while in the play-off defeating the 5th place team in the Portuguese league, it's astonishing that Stephen Bradley after what he has achieved for them was under any type of pressure from certain quarters within the club during the past 12 months

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It was only three ties... Let's not get carried away. :)

Impressive stuff from both sides. Shels to finally, in their fourth attempt, actually convincing beat Linfield over 90 minutes (with 11v11 no less), and for Rovers to keep a clean sheet and (for the most part) look so comfortable playing against such a decent technical outfit.

Really looking forward to the next 4 months of being able to watch Irish football teams 4 nights a week. It will actually end up playing a massive part of the discourse in Irish sports media if their is going to be so many games involving irish side most nights of the week.

The draw will be pretty interesting now. Hopefully both sides get a decent mix of winnable and interesting fixtures. Congrats to both fanbases, hope ye get some decent holidays out of it!

Congratulations to the FAI for creating the environment for Shelbourne and Shamrock Rovers to succeed

This is timely progession for the senior game at a time of change. It makes it much harder for the middle tiers to dismiss LoI out of hand. If schoolboys and LoI have a symbiotic relationship out of mutual necessity then the squeeze can be put on other factions. Does it help raise the value of players league wide simply due to people taking notice, of course it will take a few years more of regular qualifying for groups and more of having more than the champions in groups but its a beginning. With crowds trending up, maybe plateauing a bit this could inject some more of taking the league more seriously and helping lift things. Adds weight to the argument on need for government investment on league infrastructure. Its a positive period for LoI even for those who see teams getting European money and fear that they'll dominate - i'm not sure it will be any more than clubs having their dominant spells as before. Anyways congrats to both clubs tonight!