Look the question is unknowable. Shelbourne would have catapulted down into the "group stages" under an identical format. But look at the groups that year. Would Shelbourne's team have been able to take 4 points in any of those groups? Would Shelbourne have taken 4 points in this group Dundalk is in?
I dont think its fair to compare Uefa cup runs versus Champions league runs either... It is much harder to get through those qualifying rounds even in the Europa League format (although Maccabi did play in all of them this year and were seeded in all of them including the last one).
its hard to prove given the different formats but would the Bohs 00 or derry 06 or shels 04 team have performed as well as Dundalk? Would they have taken those 4 points like Dundalk did? Would they have beaten Dundalk to the league and get to the cup final the same year also?
I dont know, I havent followed LOI as intently as you guys but do you(s) think that Dundalk are better than those teams? if so it would be reasonable to assume that they might not have performed as well. I think its unfair to say that Dundalk has to qualify in order to have "achieved" more. 4 points is more than Rovers achieved. and finishing 3rd would still be an achievement in itself.
They have lost one of the "ties" to Zenit. if the lose the next two games...then maybe you could have a point. but i dno...

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