Mixed results for Irish clubs

By Mark Jones

National League soccer won some crediblity at the start of the European competitions last week. St Patrick’s Athletic held Celtic to a 0-0 draw in the first leg of their European Champions League preliminary-round tie in Glasgow and then only went down, 2-0, in the second leg in Dublin.

Shelbourne, meanwhile, were3-0 in front against Rangers at one stage during their first leg game, which had to be moved to Liverpool for security reasons, but eventually lost 5-3. Predictably, they were comfortably beaten 3-0 in the second leg.