Local lads in Shelbourne’s opening European game at Tallaght Stadium

Three local lads will line out for Shelbourne this evening as they take on Swedish side Häcken in their first game of the Conference League in Tallaght Stadium.

Despite not having the most fruitful of seasons themselves this year, failing to defend their league title after last year’s win, Shelbourne certainly find themselves in better recent form than their opposition.

Despite winning their game last week, Häcken’s woeful form has seen them win just twice in their last ten games and they currently find themselves in tenth place in the Swedish table.

However, Shelbourne manager and Drimnagh native Joey O’Brien does not think that this poor run of form indicates an easy game for Shelbourne on Thursday evening.

“In the games that they’ve been beaten in, they’ve at times had more possession, more chances, created more chances and been the better team in a lot of them.

‘So, again, probably where they are in the league, I wouldn’t really read too much into that.

“The European stuff has been really good, and obviously just referencing that Cluj game, to beat them 7-2 in the first leg, I suppose that’s a warning sign of how attacking they can be.”

For some on the Shelbourne team Tallaght Stadium will be a familiar venue.

Tallaght native Evan Caffrey being one such player.

The midfielder spent his youth career with Shamrock Rovers, captaining the side at underage level.

A former pupil of Old Bawn Community School, located next door the stadium he will be amongst familiar surroundings on Thursday evening.

Goalkeeper Conor Kearns is another player who will feel at home with the shotstopper hailing from nearby Templeogue and starting off his career with local side Templeogue United.

Striker Mipo Odubeko is another Tallaght native who made the switch to the northside.

He grew up within close vicinity to the stadium and was a ballboy for Shamrock Rovers on several occasions.

In an interview with the Independent earlier this year he spoke of his fondness for playing in Tallaght.

“I grew up down the road from Tallaght Stadium. If you got there early enough and begged them hard enough, they would let you be a ball boy,”

‘Even going back there with the [Ireland] U-21s, it was always enjoyable, even when we trained there the day before games. It’s a place I enjoy going back to.”

Shelbourne take on Häcken Thursday October 2nd with an 8pm kick off.