Looking back on Irish teams that made European competitions

Irish football clubs have a surprisingly interesting history in European competitions. Despite challenges and occasional successes, these clubs have left their mark on tournaments like the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League.

They may not boast such teams as you’d find in English sporting leagues - which are some of the biggest names on the sporting planet, attracting big-money sponsorship deals from the biggest gambling sites in the world, all looking to get fans to sign up for a live dealer game bonus.

No, these teams don’t have all the big money backing them, but they have heart, soul, and pure Irish fighting spirit.  Teams like Dundalk FC, Shamrock Rovers, and Cork City FC have all participated in various European tournaments - and showcased Ireland's football prowess on a bigger stage.

Here, we are going to look back over the years at some of the most thrilling sporting times in Irish footballing history.

2004 - Shelbourne

In 2004, Shelbourne FC made a highly memorable attempt to qualify for the UEFA Champions League group stages. After progressing through the early qualifying rounds, they faced tough opposition in the final qualifying stage. However, despite throwing everything they had at the game, their journey to the group stage was halted by Deportivo La Coruña, a tough Spanish team.

After some impressively resilient performances against FC Reykjavik of Iceland and Croatian giants Hajduk Split, the team stood one match away from securing a spot in the Champions League group stages - for the first time ever. Their opponent, Deportivo La Coruna, had reached the previous season's semi-finals and was the heavy favourite to win - boasting players like Juan Carlos Valeron, Albert Luque, and Walter Pandiani.

Under Pat Fenlon's guidance, Shelbourne, featuring Wes Hoolahan, bravely faced Deportivo at Lansdowne Road, drawing a crowd of 24,000. Despite their efforts, they succumbed to a 3-0 defeat in the second leg away from home. They may have lost, but their incredible journey up to that point left a huge mark in Irish football history.

Shelbourne FC's pursuit was nothing short of stunning, showing the club's ambition and determination to compete with Europe's elite. Despite just falling short of reaching the group stages, their heartfelt participation in the qualifiers marked a huge achievement for the club and Irish football.

2006 - Derry City

Just two years later, in 2006, Derry City competed in the UEFA Cup. They may have put on a big display, but the club faced an early exit from the tournament, encountering big challenges against some strong opponents. Despite the outcome, Derry City's presence in European competition - and their road to that point demonstrated that they had a real talent and weren’t too far off playing at the international level.

The team staged an incredible comeback, securing one of the most impressive victories by an Irish team in European competitions by defeating Scottish opponents Gretna 5-1 in the UEFA Cup's second qualifying round. Their subsequent challenge against Paris Saint-Germain saw them hold the French side to a goalless draw at the Brandywell in the first leg - a huge shock to the Parisian fans who were expecting an easy time. Their luck couldn’t hold, though - and they conceded a 2-0 defeat in Paris during the second match.

2008 - Drogheda United

Another two years passed, and it was the turn of Drogheda United. In the Champions League's second qualifying round, Drogheda United looked to be facing an uphill battle after the team’s 2-1 loss to Dynamo Kiev at Dalymount Park.

Travelling to Ukraine, twice they managed to equalise, with their second goal sneaking in in the 88th minute… and they looked to be edging closer to advancement on away goals. In stoppage time, Shane Robinson’s cross was parried onto the post by Kiev's goalkeeper, which denied Drogheda that last crucial goal. Despite their effort, the tie ended - and Paul Doolin's team were left to contemplate what might have been as they said goodbye to their hopes of getting any further.

2011 - Shamrock Rovers

This team was no stranger to facing big-name teams. In previous years, the Shamrock Rovers had encountered some of the most fearsome opponents, including Juventus and FC Copenhagen. However, it was their 2011 clash against Partizan Belgrade in the Europa League's final qualifying round that marked their most significant moment.

After being held to a 1-1 draw in the first leg at Tallaght, history unfolded in the return match. Pat Sullivan’s incredible volley - followed by Stephen O’Donnell’s penalty saw them secure a 2-1 victory… and Shamrock Rovers thus became the first Irish team to reach the Europa League group stages. They went on to face Rubin Kazan, P.A.O.K, and Tottenham Hotspur, and even briefly took the lead against Spurs at White Hart Lane before their advantage slipped away.

2016 - Dundalk

Dundalk FC, led by Stephen Kelly, followed their dreams in 2016 as they came a hair's breadth away from reaching the Champions League group stages.

Despite having to overcome a goal deficit from the first leg against BATE Borisov in the third qualifying round, the reigning Irish champions turned the tide at Oriel Park. BATE Borisov, known for having beaten teams like Bayern Munich, AS Roma, and Athletic Bilbao, faced a surprising setback as the Lilywhites enjoyed a shocking 3-0 victory in the return leg.

Dundalk then had to face Legia Warsaw in the playoffs, and despite not overcoming this last hurdle, they walked away with their heads held high.