Europa Conference League Qualifying Report : Dundalk 2- 2 KA Akureyri (KA win 5-3 on aggregate)

A damp Oriel Park saw Icelandic outfit KA Akureyri earn a two all draw with Dundalk FC as the Lilywhites crashed out of Europe 5-3 on aggregate.

On a night where Dundalk’s pre-match entertainment included the unveiling of two new signings to the Oriel Park crowd it was a KA Akureyri new arrival who stole the show.

32 year old Joan Edmundsson arrived at the Icelandic outfit last week having departed Belgian outfit Beveren at the start of July and he opened the scoring before John Martin gave the home side a lifeline.

A late Steingrimsson penalty swung the advantage back to the visitors while Greg Sloggett’s late header was a mere consolation as Dundalk exited the European stage with a draw.

The home side got off to the worst possible start as the Icelandic visitors extended their lead within the opening quarter hour. 79 times capped Faroese international Edmundsson latched onto a long ball to shrug off the attention of Louie Annesley and clip the ball beyond Nathan Shepperd.

The 32 year old was only unveiled during the week and made his mark at Oriel Park within minutes.

Dundalk’s first chance of the half came when last week’s goalscorer Dan Kelly found himself in space down the right wing and his angled effort drifted wide of the post.

The equaliser on the night came courtesy of John Martin. In a rare start alongside Pat Hoban, the Kilkenny native finished a clipped Ryan O’Kane cross to the net from close range in a manner his strike partner would have been proud of.

An organised KA side kept Dundalk at arm’s length throughout the rest of the half as they reduced the home side’s efforts on target to a solitary Conor Malley strike from distance which Jajalo unconvincingly pushed around the post at the expense of a corner.

Despite huffing and puffing their way through the second half as they moved the ball in various patterns around midfield without troubling Jajalo any further, it was Dundalk who almost fell behind on the night. A rare KA breakaway saw the experienced Andy Boyle deflect an effort onto the crossbar and away to safety.

The home crowd breathed again and ushered their team forward, their shouts rivalled by a vocal away support who must have been happy with the relative ease that their side had kept their League of Ireland hosts at bay. Indeed, bar a stretching John Martin effort which crashed off the crossbar from ten yards out, away goalkeeper Kristijan Jajalo was barely troubled in the second period until the last few moments when he was forced to punch clear a number of dangerous crosses

The Icelandic outfit hammered home their advantage with ten minutes left on the clock- the ball whizzed around the penalty area following a corner and an outstretched leg from Conor Malley sent a KA attacker tumbling. Austria whistler Walter Altmann pinged the Lilywhites and Hallgrimur Steingrimsson cooly netted past the diving Nathan Shepperd to put the tie beyond the Louth outfit.

A trio of subs from Dundalk Head Coach Stephen O'Donnell followed in the aftermath with Brownlie, Sloggett and Cameron Elliott joining the action.

It was Meathman Sloggett who found the net in the last minute- bundling home a Ryan O’Kane corner kick to preserve his side’s proud unbeaten record at Oriel Park, dating back to 2014 when Hajduk Split were the last away side to win at the Carrick Road in a European tie.

Dundalk: Nathan Shepperd; Louie Annesley, Andy Boyle (Darren Brownlie 84), Archie Davies, Darragh Leahy (Johannes Yli-Kokko 71); Paul Doyle, Patrick Hoban, Daniel Kelly (Cameron Elliott 83), Connor Malley (Greg Sloggett 84), Ryan O'Kane; John Martin.

Subs not used: Mark Byrne, Peter Cherrie, Robbie McCourt, Hayden Muller, Mayowa Animasahun, Dualta Honney, Alfie Lewis, Anthony Moyo.

Booked: Archie Davies (40), Paul Doyle (45), Connor Malley (77).

Sent off: None.

KA Akureyri: Kristijan Jajalo; Ívar Árnason, Birgir Baldvinsson, Dušan Brković, Hrannar Steingrímsson (Alex Elisson 89); Rodrigo Gómez Mateo, Daníel Hafsteinsson (Andri Stefánsson 90), Sveinn Hauksson; Joan Edmundsson (Jakob Árnason 60), Ásgeir Sigurgeirsson (Pætur Joensson Petersen 84), Hallgrímur Steingrímsson.

Subs not used: Ívar Arnbro Þórhallsson, Steinþór Auðunsson, Bjarni Aðalsteinsson, Valdimar Sævarsson, Ingimar Torbjørnsson Støle, Elfar Aðal­steins­son, Harley Willard.

Booked: Joan Edmundsson (31).

Sent off: None.

Referee: Walter Altmann (Austria) .

extratime.com Player of the Match: Joan Edmundsson