LOI in Europe 2011

**thejollyrodger** · 26/08/2011, 9:18 AM

fantastic result for the league, hopefully future years ahead will become a lot easier for other airtricity league teams to make it through to the group stages. Hope Shams get a great draw at noon today, some big games ahead would be fantastic !!

**passinginterest** · 26/08/2011, 9:20 AM

I don't think it's possible to quantify quite what a momentous achievement this is. I'm over the moon for the Rovers supporters who dragged the club back from the brink and made it possible to achieve this. It's an occasion to savour for everyone who witnessed all the near misses and put up with the scorn from the naysayers, when they knew in their hearts the league was on the verge of making this breakthrough. Shels and Derry set the tone with some great performances, Drogheda came so close in Kiev, I was in the RDS when Pat's gave Hertha a massive fright, was in Dalymount when Bohs were minutes from putting Salzburg out and now this is the payoff for all the disappointment and near misses.
The players will go into the history books and the performance will be forever etched in our minds. Now all Irish teams should be inspired to shake off the inferiority complex and realise the group stages are attainable and in a sustainable manner too. I said after the last game that the inferiority complex seemed to be slowly slipping away but I really thought this season was a step too far, the quality of the goal last week was superb and then it was somehow surpassed this week, surely there couldn't be a better advertisement for the league of Ireland as a collective. Onwards and upwards.

**Mr A** · 26/08/2011, 9:27 AM

Originally Posted by sullanefc

All this talk of �1 million in the media is making me very concerned about what the PFAI will do.

Probably preparing strike notice as we speak.

**paul_oshea** · 26/08/2011, 9:45 AM

Where is Skstu?

**Sam_Heggy** · 26/08/2011, 9:47 AM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

Where is Skstu?

Canada?

**paul_oshea** · 26/08/2011, 9:52 AM

I can only imagine what it must feel like to be a Shamrock Rovers fan today, or even a LOI fan. There will be some serious sore legs and even sorer heads coming off that plane today and I hope they saviour the moment and get a good welcome home party when they get back.

Ive enjoyed my 10 years or so following LOI clubs in Europe through mainly streams - since I left Dublin - and although teams were getting close each year, I actually thought that the pedigree and amount of teams that were increasing at a level faster than Irish sides I wasn't really sure the breakthrough would come. But it has and i really do hope that this can be the push that Irish soccer people need to get them through the turnstiles/merchandise/whatever. For shams as a club hopefully the money is spent wisely and used rather as an investment than an immediate spend, an investment to make more money.

I think a LOI club needed that luck, and after all the years of being luckless in Europe it finally came for Rovers. Again, Congratulations one and all and I hope the feeling of goodwill from those "on the outside" stays for a long time yet.

Me personally I never wake up early or before 8(woke up an hour early through excitement) as I'm wrecked but today I woke up with a great feeling, and more than anything a feeling of hope, hope for the future and what it might mean for Irish football as a whole. I've spent the morning reading here (a few times over) and trawling any papers I can find, I hope I can find some more.

**paul_oshea** · 26/08/2011, 9:55 AM

Originally Posted by Sam_Heggy

Canada?

Thats not what i meant

**BonnieShels** · 26/08/2011, 10:22 AM

Just woke up there and for a moment forgot what happened. Still can't believe it.

**paul_oshea** · 26/08/2011, 10:25 AM

Jees O'neill was changing his clothes a lot on the sideline......

http://photos.independent.ie/gallery.../0edYa4peJle8F

If O'Donnell had missed it should have been retaken anyway:

http://photos.independent.ie/gallery.../03uC4hV1sA8bm

**punkrocket** · 26/08/2011, 10:33 AM

And his face. That first one is magilton

**paul_oshea** · 26/08/2011, 10:36 AM

I know, I was being sarcastic.

I think there was another one where they got dennehy wrong as well.

Jees murray is a lump his arm is huge and sives has an awful big nose.

The partizan security fella clapping sullivans goal is funny too.

**gufct** · 26/08/2011, 10:52 AM

Draw live on Eurosport now

**SwanVsDalton** · 26/08/2011, 10:59 AM

Live on UEFA.com too. There's a lot of teams to be drawn but a proper thrill an Irish team are among them.

**BonnieShels** · 26/08/2011, 11:01 AM

Yer one is cracking!

**Spudulika** · 26/08/2011, 11:01 AM

Love it if they get Lokomotiv Moscow. I know the club were impressed with Rovers last night and Loko would lose in Dublin. Plus I've season freebies :-)

**boovidge** · 26/08/2011, 11:03 AM

Christ, they drag this out don't they?

**BonnieShels** · 26/08/2011, 11:04 AM

Celtic have lodged an appeal?

**paul_oshea** · 26/08/2011, 11:07 AM

Originally Posted by BonnieShels

Celtic have lodged an appeal?

Ya Sion were playing supposedly illegible players that they had just signed. Something about 2 transfers or something.

I didn't really give much there did i? But platini and Uefa general secretary seem to be siding with(tom) celic thus far.