Shels tee up European date with Ajax, despite defeat
Shelbourne FC has qualified for the third qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League despite a 2-1 loss to Nomme Kalju. They are set to face Ajax in the next round, with the home leg confirmed for Tolka Park.
Why it matters
This represents a significant European milestone for the Irish club, providing a high-profile matchup against a major continental team.
A 2-1 defeat to Nomme Kalju in Estonia wasn't enough to stop Shelbourne qualifying for the third qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League, with John Russell’s side winning the tie 6-4 on aggregate.
Their reward is tie with European heavyweights Ajax, who won 8-2 on aggregate against FK Vojvodina. Shels will play the home leg of that tie at Tolka Park, having secured permission from UEFA despite it not meeting requirements to host a third round qualifier.
The prize on offer was massive, and Shelbourne took a large step towards it when Daniel Kelly got in to score in the 14th minute and extend their aggregate advantage to 6-2.
Nomme Kalju came back after the break despite being reduced to 10-men, but goals from Enrique Esono and Ibrahim Jabir weren’t enough to turn things around.
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