Drogheda United 3 HJK Helsinki 1 (Agg 4-2): Having grown accustomed to seeing their side eke out the narrowest of wins in the eircom League, Drogheda fans were euphoric at the end of 120 minutes of a frantic Uefa Cup contest last night in Dalymount Park, where a couple of hotly contested extra-time penalties by Damien Lynch booked the home side their place in this morning's draw for the second qualifying round of the competition.
It was a compelling contest, with both sides clearly determined to take the game to the other, and while HJK will feel they were hard done by at the end, United earned their victory thanks to a combination of passion and perseverance that should serve them well if they can reproduce it in the next round.
In the end it was a great night for the Irish side, who were given a long ovation at the end, but having fallen behind late in the first half of an enthralling and wonderfully open game there were some nervous moments for Paul Doolin and his players both before and after Graham Gartland's dramatic second-half equaliser.
Glen Fitzpatrick, who had replaced Eamon Zayed, looked anxious to make the most of the opportunity and he repeatedly caused the visiting defenders problems with a series of strong runs from just outside the area.
And even had the ball in the net midway through the first half only for the Andorran linesman to raise his flag for what he reckoned had been a foul by the Irishman on HJK central defender Tuomas Aho.
Had it counted the goal would not have flattered the locals, who were comfortably the better side over the opening half-hour, when they rattled the Finnish back four, particularly from set pieces, and forced the visiting goalkeeper, Ville Wallen, into one rather desperate save.
United's finish, though, was not quite what it should have been, and having passed up a couple of chances to take the lead, they cruelly found themselves behind 36 minutes in to a goal from Algerian international Farid Ghazi.
The 32-year-old did exceptionally well, first setting Mika Nurmela on his way down the right wing and then tearing forward to convert his curling cross to the far post. But Doolin must have wondered how his normally reliable defence had allowed both men so much space.
At least one of the guilty parties, Gartland, was to make amends in some style 10 minutes after the break when, after a frantic spell during which both sides created clear-cut scoring chances, he powered into the six- yard box to head home Shane Robinson's corner from the right.
The equaliser took some of the urgency out of the home side's situation but you'd scarcely have noticed as the two sides produced open and furiously fast football for the 35 minutes that remained of normal time.
With Zayed and Shane Barrett now leading the attack for the hosts, HJK had a little more pace to deal with, but as the game moved into extra-time the visitors were coping well enough despite some searching balls into the area from Robinson and Gavin Whelan out on the flanks.
Robinson carved out a particularly good chance for Zayed 94 minutes in but the recently signed 22-year-old fluffed his header.
Within a minute, though, the visitors were in turmoil with Aho penalised for handling Keegan's scrambled shot and then sent off for disputing a penalty awarded on the say-so of the linesman.
When the defender finally departed Lynch despatched the spot kick and United were back on top of the tie.
This time there were no slips in concentration and after Dan Connor saved well from Timo Marjamaa, Lynch converted his second penalty of the night - a rather soft-looking one given after Markus Halsti had tangled with Barrett - to seal the win.
DROGHEDA UNITED: Connor; Shelley, Gavin, Gartland, Webb; Whelan (Gray, 118 mins), Lynch, Keegan, Robinson; Grant (Barrett, 78 mins), Fitzpatrick (Zayed, 59 mins).
HJK: Wallen; Lampi, Aho, Halsti, Aalto; Sorsa, Nurmela (Marjamaa, 88 mins), Hakanpaa (Savolaine, 105 mins), Zeneli (Oravainen, 75 mins); Ghazi, Pohja.
Referee: M Prades (Andorra).
