Soccer

Dundalk survive the heat and Magpies’ strong finish to secure scoreless draw in Gibraltar

Stephen O’Donnell’s side survive a number of scares to set themselves up for Oriel Park encounter next week

Dundalk’s Connor Malley challenges for the ball with Joseph Chipolina of Magpies during the Uefa Europa Conference League first qualifying round, first leg at Victoria Stadium in Gibraltar. Photograph: Antonio Pozo/Inpho
Dundalk’s Connor Malley challenges for the ball with Joseph Chipolina of Magpies during the Uefa Europa Conference League first qualifying round, first leg at Victoria Stadium in Gibraltar. Photograph: Antonio Pozo/Inpho
James Rogers at Victoria Stadium
Thu Jul 13 2023 - 20:02
Bruno’s Magpies 0 Dundalk 0

There was no breakthrough for Dundalk as they claimed a scoreless draw against Bruno’s Magpies in their Europa Conference League first qualifying round, first leg tie at Victoria Stadium on Thursday.

Indeed, Stephen O’Donnell’s side were forced to survive a number of scares in the searing Gibraltar heat to ensure they weren’t playing catch-up in next Thursday’s second leg in Oriel Park.

While the Lilywhites were well on top in the opening half and may well have taken the lead through Daniel Kelly, Alfonso Cortijo’s side grew into the game, which was played in 31 degrees of sunshine, and arguably should have won the game.

The visitors should have hit the front on 13 minutes when Kelly’s cross from the right picked out the inrushing Johannes Yli-Kokko who saw the ball drift just wide after coming off his shoulder.

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The Louth men were left scratching their heads how they didn’t break the deadlock 10 minutes later when Patrick Hoban slipped Ryan O’Kane in on goal. The teenager was denied by Jaylan Hankins, who then made an even better save with the follow up to spring up and block Kelly’s effort from the rebound with his feet.

The home side grew into the game, however, and former Birmingham City player Jack Storer thought he had opened the scoring on 31 minutes when he beat Nathan Shepperd but Darragh Leahy was back on the line to clear his effort.

Dundalk fans cheer on their team during the game at the Victoria Stadium in Gibraltar. Photograph: Antonio Pozo/Inpho
Dundalk fans cheer on their team during the game at the Victoria Stadium in Gibraltar. Photograph: Antonio Pozo/Inpho

Hoban then had two big chances to break the deadlock before the break, heading agonisingly wide from Leahy’s corner before seeing his flick turned around the post by Hankins in stoppage-time.

The Magpies should have been ahead within 30 seconds of the restart as Joseph Chipolina’s cross from the left found José Giraldez unmarked eight yards out but he fired over with only Shepperd to beat.

Dundalk had another let-off on 49 minutes as Chipolina’s long throw was headed clear by Hoban but only as far as Kyle Casciaro, who met it on the volley but fired straight at Shepperd. Giraldez then shaved the outside of the post on 57 minutes after being picked out unmarked by Andre Dos Santos.

There was then a major let-off for visitors in the 80th minute as former Cork City player Liam Nash got in behind Andy Boyle on the right. He lifted the ball over Shepperd but it bounced just wide of the left-hand post with Anthony Hernandez unable to turn it in.

BRUNO’S MAGPIES: Hankins; Dos Santos, Diaz, Gonzalez, Chipolina (Ballantine 89); Coombes, Garcia, Joe (Bent, 74), Casciaro (Arguez, 60); Storer (Nash, h-t), Giraldez (Hernandez, 74).

DUNDALK: Shepperd; Davies, Boyle, Annesley, Leahy; Sloggett, Malley; Kelly, Yli-Kokko (Martin, 87), O’Kane (Lewis, 73); Hoban.

Referee: Mohammad Usman Aslam (Norway).