Uefa Conference League: Celje 0 Shelbourne 0
On a night when they once again failed to convert big chances, a league phase goal remained elusive until the end for Shelbourne as Wessel Speel produced a string of saves to frustrate Celje at the other end in Slovenia.
Though ending the campaign as the only team to fail to score, their second point, with its additional €133,000 in prize money bringing their total to over €4 million, ensured Joey O’Brien’s side finished in 34th place above SK Rapid and Aberdeen.
In a game Celje, as expected, dominated possession wise, Shelbourne defended tenaciously to then create several clearcut of their own, most notably from Kerr McInroy, twice, and substitute John Martin.
Celje’s frustration in not winning sees them finish 13th and miss out on a top eight finish and automatic passage to the last 16.
RM Block
With Mipo Odubeko restored to the side in partnering Sean Boyd in an adventurous attacking line-up, Shelbourne started confidently; midfielder anchor McInroy shooting over the top early on.
Celje promptly responded, Shelbourne skipper Mark Coyle, playing in central defence, having to block a drive from Darko Hrka.
Their passing game in tune, Celje weren’t long in threatened again with Paddy Barrett having to deflect Russian striker Nikita Iosifov’s shot out for the game’s first corner.
Speel was then worked for the first time to bat a diagonal shot from Celje captain Mario Kvesic out for another corner while Danijel Sturm shot wide as the home side built momentum.
Croatian striker Franko Kovačević, whose double beat Shamrock Rovers in October, came close to adding to his tally of five goals when rounding Speel only to shoot into the side netting from a tight angle in a lighting counterattack.
For all their dominance of the ball, though, Celje were far from sure of themselves defensively, none moreso than on 27 minutes when Shelbourne carved a real chance. Kameron Ledwidge and Boyd teed up Odubeko who blasted wide when he should have hit the target.
In Shelbourne’s best spell of the half, McInroy then brought a superb save from Zan-Luk Leban with a left-foot shot after Celje failed to clear a throw in.
Odubeko, released by Boyd, soon troubled Celje once more, his deflected shot bringing Shelbourne a third corner in quick succession.
In an open game now, Speel had his second telling save to make when getting down to touch Sturm’s shot round a post before Kvesic curled a free-kick narrowly wide.
But it was Shelbourne who had the final say of the half, Boyd, set up by McInroy, unfortunate to see his shot blocked by Iosifov as Celje coughed up another opening.
Celje maintained their dominance of the ball into the second half, though, and should have been ahead five minutes in but for a fine save with his feet from Speel to deny Ivica Vidovic who had been picked out by Sturm with Shelbourne stretched.
Dutchman Speel was there yet again as the half wore on with further saves to deny danger man Kovacevic.
Shelbourne remained a threat on the counter, Martin, close to scoring at Shkendija and Alkmaar, was unfortunate yet again on 73 minutes when thwarted by the feet of Leban having been slipped in by Odubeko.
Nieto drilled wide to compound a frustrating night for the home side before Shelbourne almost snatched victory on 89 minutes.
Martin did well to get to the end line on the right to cross. McInroy, stretching, just failed to get enough purchase on his toepoke as he sliced wide.
NK Celje: Leban; Nieto, Vuklisevic (Boben, 80), Hrka (Jevsenak, 52), Bejger; Kvesti (Kotnik, 72), M. Ardyli, Vidovic; Sturm, Iosifov, Kovacevic.
Shelbourne: Speel; Gannon, Coyle (Temple, 83), Barrett, Ledwidge; Wood (Lunney, 80), McInroy, Henry-Francis, Kelly (Caffrey, h-t); Boyd (Martin, 72), Odubeko.
Referee: Sandi Putros (Denmark).
