The record books may strongly suggest that his side are playing for little more than pride this evening but as Shelbourne completed their preparations for tonight's UEFA Cup qualifying round second leg against Brondby yesterday, Dermot Keely was in typically defiant mood regarding the team's chances of fighting their way back into the tie.

Realistically, there appears to be little to back up his assertion as the Dubliner himself conceded yesterday that the Danes had shown they could defend and take their chances better than their Irish opponents two weeks ago.

"There's a gap," he admits, "but this will be a very different game, played on a much smaller pitch and if we can get an early goal then it will put absolutely everything up for grabs."

While the first leg was a decidedly physical encounter in which four Shelbourne players were booked and one, Stephen Geoghegan, sent off, Keely insisted again yesterday that the disciplinary difficulties involved in the game were primarily attributable to the "weak" refereeing than to any over-zealousness on his players' part.

"Sure, my lot couldn't kick their way out of a brown paper back and so they know the only way they are going to win a game is to play football. I do think that they are used to a more physical game than the Brondby lads, though, and they were caught out by the different attitude over there. If they'd been a bit more clever then maybe they would have gotten a few of their players booked too but if anything I'd be telling them to be a little bit tougher going out there this time."

The hosts are almost certain to be without Dessie Baker with the striker still struggling to overcome a calf strain picked up in the first leg. That should mean that Richie Foran will be partnered by Garry Haylock for the first time in a competitive game up front while Jim Gannon's fitness enables Keely to play Peter Hutton in midfield as he did against St Patrick's Athletic on Friday night.

Owen Heary is another minor doubt for the locals due an ankle strain but there was a fair amount of confidence in the Shelbourne camp yesterday that the right back would be fit to play. If he isn't then Davy Byrne or Kevin Doherty are the likely replacements. Keely's determination that his side should test Brondby's full back, "in a way that we simply didn't do over there," means that Richie Baker, who has occasionally filled in on the right side of defence, will be required to play a key role in Shelbourne's bid to stretch the visiting side's back four.

Haylock's inclusion marks another crack at European football for one of the club's most experienced players and a chance to prove his worth at a club where, he admits, he has not done himself justice since returning two years ago.

Matters are not helped much either by the fact Brondby boss Aage Hareide has a stronger squad than he had for the first leg. Danish international Peter Madsen, who had been suffering with a groin strain, is expected to come into the side up front for Mattias Jonson while Danish under-21 skipper Dan Anton Johansen will start at right back.

SHELBOURNE (probable): Williams; Heary, Gannon, McCarthy, Minnock; R Baker, D Byrne, Crawford, B Byrne; Haylock, Foran.

BRONDBY (probable): Krogh; Johansen, Nielsen, Rasmussen, Skarbalius; Niznik, Jorgensen, Nordin, Lindrup; Bagger, Madsen.