Dubliners struggle to make impact

When it comes down to it, there is no shortage of reasons to explain Shelbourne's failure to win at Tolka Park yesterday. The absence of five first teamers, the lack of match fitness and maybe even the cold the players had to suffer could all be pointed to.

The pity is that there always seem to be plausible explanations for the inability of Irish teams to win European games so when the calibre of opposition is as poor as it was yesterday, it's all the more disappointing. Shelbourne, as it happens, are currently our league's most experienced side in terms of European competition, the Dubliners having missed out on qualification for one of UEFA's tournaments only once in the last eight seasons. Despite some plucky performances over the years, though, their record is poor with just one win in 14 games before yesterday and only one progression, back in 1992, when they beat Kaparty Lvov in the Cup Winners' Cup.

So, on the face of it, the visit of Neuchatel Xamax was an opportunity to improve their record and even with all the problems that had been posed by the timing of the fixture, there seemed to be some basis for optimism. Even after the game's conclusion, manager Dermot Keely was able to look on the bright side, maintaining that his team still have every chance of doing well enough in Switzerland next Sunday to secure a place in the second round of this Inter-Toto Cup. "You'd have to be confident going out there," he said while not dwelling too long on the fact that his side had scarcely done anything to keep his opposite number, Alain Geiger, awake at night over the coming week.

Shelbourne certainly had the better of the game. They started brightly and looked in the opening 10 minutes like they would win easily. But Neuchatel appeared to have arrived intent on avoiding defeat and that, with some ease, is precisely what they achieved.

In fact, the visiting goalkeeper, Florent Delay, was forced into action just once in the entire game, Richie Baker making him get down quickly to his left in order to stop a well struck shot from a tight angle 10 minutes from time.

Seconds earlier, a fine passing movement started well inside the Shelbourne half had ended with the best chance of the game falling to Davie Byrne, although the recently arrived substitute simply couldn't cope with the power of John Powell's cross from the right and only deflected the ball past the left hand upright. And that, as it turned out, was as close as Shelbourne got to earning the lead. For most of the game they struggled to give their opponents any real problems around the area and though switching Richie Baker to the right flank in the second period clearly helped maters, it wasn't until after Byrne's chance that they started to display any sort of urgency. Despite the draw, Keely was still inclined to reflect favourably on the performance, noting that "it's hard for the lads after just a few weeks of running to be the finished article, but I thought that they did everything right out there except the final ball. The makings of it was there and I don't think, after that, we'd be going away next week expecting to lose."

Conversely, it's also hard to imagine the Neuchatel players anticipating a defeat on home soil. Yesterday they conceded the initiative throughout the game and found that their hosts were not capable of causing them any serious difficulties. Regardless of the outcome next weekend, though, it seems that we will have to wait a while longer before getting a decent idea on how much ground Keely has managed to make up on his premier division rivals for next season.

With Gary Haylock and Tony McCarthy injured yesterday and Paul Doolin and Stephen Geoghegan amongst those still away on holidays, the team was clearly under-strength.

Shelbourne: S Williams; Heery, Scully, Campbell, O'Brien; Kelly, Sheridan, Vandervelden, R Baker; M Williams, D Baker. Subs: Byrne for Kelly (53 mins), Powell for M Williams (64 mins).

Neuchatel Xamax: Delay; Keller; Zambaz, Boughamen, Quentin; Gigon, Simo, Sansoni, Bieli; Molist, Nidiaye. Subs: Koch for Bieli (61 mins).

Referee: F Bede (Hungary).