JFK Olimps v St Patrick's Ath:TWELVE MONTHS on from his darkest experience in European competition, St Patrick's goalkeeper Barry Ryan believes his team's new-look defence are now better equipped to make an impression on that stage.

In the first qualifying round of the Uefa Cup last July, St Patrick's went to Denmark still in their tie against the Superliga outfit Odense, but a 5-0 defeat spelt the end for Johnny McDonnell's side.

Ryan is the sole survivor from the back five who played that dark night when St Patrick's step out at the Skonto Stadion in Riga this evening to face Latvian Virsliga side JFK Olimps.

And he thinks the experience of the likes of Damien Lynch, Jamie Harris and Dessie Byrne, new additions to the St Patrick's squad since, should set them up to progress to the second round.

"The panel is better and there are a lot of guys that have played in Europe before and who have progressed in Europe," said Ryan. "There are lads that have won leagues and there are a lot of experienced players too.

St Patrick's face a team that currently lie bottom of their domestic league with just seven points from 15 matches. Indeed Olimps are considered just a feeder club for their bigger city rivals, Skonto Riga.

They only made it into the Virsliga this season and they qualified for the Uefa Cup after reaching the domestic cup final. St Patrick's will be without Joe O'Cearuill (ankle) while Gary O'Neill is carrying a groin injury into the game.