Draw is not enough for Shels - August 3, 2000

Rosenborg 1 Shelbourne 1

Shelbourne lifted Eircom League football another notch last night as they earned a creditable draw away against Rosenborg in Trondheim. But the result came at a cost as midfielder Davy Byrne broke his right leg in the second half.

Shelbourne needed to win by at least three goals if they were going to qualify for the Third Qualifying round of the Champions League. This was never feasible but a good display was and that is what the men from Dublin gave.

This game was very similar to the first. Shels were on the back foot throughout the first half again. They came more into the game in the second and took the lead through supersub Richie Foran.

Foran, only on the pitch for three minutes. Followed in a Richie Baker header the goalkeeper seemed in full control of the ball but with an old fashioned shoulder charge the young striker knocked it from his grasp and hit it into the back of the net.

Six minutes later Davy Byrne suffer his broken leg when he came off the worse in a challenge. Byrne was starting his first game since returning to Shelbourne from Dundee United and it a cruel piece of luck that will rob Dermot Keely of his services for months.

Rosenborg chased the game and got their reward 10 minutes from time when Orjan Berg got his head to a Bent Skammelsrud corner to direct the ball beyond Williams.

Rosenborg: Arason; Basma, B I Johnsen, Hoftun, Stansaas; F Winsnes, Berg, Skammelsrud; Strand, F Johnsen, Knutsen.
Subs: Hernes for Knutsen 58 min, Belsvik for Johnsen 78 mins, Svenning for Strand 88 mins.
Shelbourne: Steve Williams, Owen Heary, Pat Scully, Tony McCarthy, Mark Hutchison; Davy Byrne, James Keddy, Pat Fenlon; Dessie Baker, Stephen Geoghegan, Richie Baker.
Subs: Richie Foran for Geoghegan 55 mins, Paul Doolin for Byrne 64 mins.
Referee: M Busacca (Switzerland)

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