St. Patrick's Athletic 1-0 IBV
Richmond Park provided an ideal backdrop for another St Patrick's Athletic Europa League first qualifying round first leg victory over IBV.
Icelandic side IBV were beaten by the Saints a year ago in the same competition and Liam Buckley's team produced a solid display to earn an encouraging win.
The opening quarter offered further evidence of the Saints crisp passing game as the locals settled quickly.
Prompted by their three man central midfield unit of James Chambers, Greg Bolger, and John Russell Pat's distributed the ball on the deck in a clever fashion.
Six minutes in Sean O'Connor and Ian Bermingham made a clever exchange on the edge of the IBV area. O'Connor eventually manufactured enough space to unleash a shot that was deflected out for a corner as the Saints probed.
But then against the run of play IBV went close to nicking the lead as the Saints survived a significant scare. Christian Olsen connected with a Matt Garner delivery, but the ball shaved the crossbar and Pat's were fortunate.
IBV, though, then had a spell of supremacy and it took a smashing 20th minute Conor Kenna to keep Pat's on terms. Brynjar Gudjonsson and Ian Jeffs fashioned an opportunity for Tryggvi Gudmundsson, but Kenna bravely denied the visitors.
Then in the 22nd minute a long range O'Connor effort examined IBV custodian Abel Dihara's reflexes. St Pat's could have hit the front on 35 when a Darren Meenan corner wasn't dealt with by the IBD defence, but Kenny Browne headed over in a packed area.
Liam Buckley's side rattled the IBV net in the 38th minute courtesy of a delightful Christy Fagan goal. James Chambers' challenge meant that Ger O'Brien was able to supply an inviting cross for Fagan, who confidently drilled Pat's ahead.
Surprisingly, though, the third quarter lacked suspense and drama as Pat's weren't dictating the match with the same level of control. Late on substitute Dean Kelly went close to nicking a second for the Saints, who will be hopeful of replicating this performance in Iceland next week.
ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Clarke; O'Brien, Kenna, Browne, Bermingham; Chambers, Bolger, Russell; Meenan, Fagan (D Kelly 48), O'Connor (Flood 87).
IBV: Dihara; Baldock, Gudjonsson, Christiansen, Garner; Jeffs (Thorvardarson 89), Thorarinsson, Valdimarsson, Mawejje (Olafsson 82); Gudmundsson, Olsen (Spear 43).
REFEREE: I Satchi (Moldova).
Bohemians 0-0 Thor Ajureyri
UTTER frustration was all Bohemians had to show for their effort at Dalymount as they failed to breakdown their dogged Icelandic visitors.
Aaron Callaghan's side had much of the ball and created the better chances throughout, also having a goal disallowed. But they rode the luck a little at time as Thór had a decent claim for a penalty.
Then, after an maddening 90 minutes, Bohemians might have snatched it in stoppage time at the death.
Ryan McEvoy's free-kick from the edge of the area had keeper Srdfan Rajkovic flapping before he finally gathered at the feet of in the inrushing Kevin Feely.
Though they enjoyed plenty of possession, Bohemians will simply have to be more clinical in front of goal in Akureyri next Thursday if they are to progress.
Manager Callaghan surprised no-one by fielding the same starting eleven which trounced arch-rivals Shamrock Rovers 4-0 last week.
Contrary to the confidence Bohemians brought into the game, European debutants Thór arrived on the back of two league defeats which saw them drop to fourth place in the Icelandic second division.
But with a loud, if tiny, band of travelling support behind them, Thór were well up for it with striker Sigurdur Kristjansson coming in late to upend Bohemians' keeper Andy McNulty inside the opening minute.
Bohemians quickly settled to take the game to the Icelanders creating their first real chance on ten minutes. McEvoy whipped a dangerous ball into the area with fellow midfielder Dave Mulcahy's header just off target.
If shaky at the back, Thór looked threatening at the business end of the field and on 22 minutes Sveinn Jonsson surged forward from midfield to feed Ingi Hilmarsson whose low drive just hadn't enough sting to trouble McNulty.
Within a minute Mulcahy got forward again at the other end, working a one-two with Peter McMahon before failing to test keeper Rajkovic.
The ball was in Rajkovic's net minutes later, but wasn't to count as Peter McMahon was adjudged to have handled it before poking it home after delightful inter-play by Keith Ward and Dwayne Wilson.
Unhappy with that decision, Bohemians were glad of another handball going their way in their own box seven minutes later.
Andri Albertsson diagonal ball into the home area bounced up and clearly struck Evan McMillan on the arm. And though it was ball to hand, Bohemians were nonetheless pretty relieved to see referee Jovan Kaludjerovic wave away Thór's appeals for a penalty.
Shortly afterwards, three successive corners had Thór on the back foot when Atli Albertsson took the ball off the head of Wilson from Luke Byrne's superb delivery into the area.
Rajkovic then showed his nerves when, under no pressure, he needlessly punched away a long-range drive from Keith Ward in the 37th minute.
Thór then had their first real sight of goal on 56 minutes.
Bohemians failed to clear their lines and striker Johann Hannesson's low shot was fumbled round a post by McNulty for the visitors' first corner of the night.
McNulty was proving to be the busy keeper in the second half as he had to get down smartly to hold a drive from Hilmarsson.
Try as they might, Bohemians continued to struggle in front of goal before also snatching a valuable lead on 83 minutes.
McMillan got forward to find McEvoy and the little midfielder's powerful left-footed drive was narrowly wide.
BOHEMIANS: McNulty; Heary, McMillan, Feely, Byrne; Buckley, Mulcahy (Traynor 84), McEvoy, Ward, McMahon (Scully 58); Wilson (Moore 76).
THÓR AJUREYRI: Rajkovic; Andri Albertsson (Bjornsson 76), Atli Albertson, Vrenko, Funicello; Jonsson, Halation (K Hannesson 66), Hjaltalin, Hilmarsson; Kristjansson; J Hannesson (Stroemberg 76).
REFEREE: J Kaludjerovic (Montenegro).
Domestic & Grassroots 
