Shelbourne Expect 'sharper' Linfield In Play-off

Uefa Conference League play-off first limb - Shelbourne v Linfield

Venue: Tolka Park, Dublin Date: Thursday, 21 August Kick-off: 19:45 BST

Coverage: Watch unrecorded connected BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website & app.

Shelbourne head Joey O'Brien says he expects a "sharper" Linfield erstwhile nan teams meet again astatine Tolka Park successful nan Uefa Conference League play-offs.

The League of Ireland champions edged retired nan Irish Premiership holders 2-1 complete 2 legs successful a Champions League qualifier successful July.

Both sides person signed players since pinch erstwhile Cliftonville man Sean Moore joining Shels from West Ham United, while Ryan Yates and Sam Taylor are caller arrivals astatine Windsor Park.

However, contempt nan caller acquisitions and Linfield head David Healy playing nan red-hot Kieran Offord beside Matthew Fitzpatrick successful their triumph complete Vikingur past week, O'Brien feels nan main quality from nan the Blues whitethorn beryllium successful position of lucifer sharpness.

"They're a bully squad and I've been up watching them since we past played them," said nan Shelbourne manager.

"Player-wise, astir of them played against america truthful they astir apt won't alteration nan measurement they played.

"They went pinch 2 retired and retired centre forwards (against Vikingur) but they mightiness alteration it again.

"It was still their pre-season (during nan first meeting) truthful now they will beryllium fitter and lucifer sharper, truthful it will beryllium a reliable game."

The Dublin nine will beryllium without goalkeeper Conor Kearns, who picked up an wounded successful their FAI Cup conclusion against St Patrick's Athletic.

Kearns initially picked up a hamstring rumor successful nan 2nd limb of nan Champions League qualifier against Linfield.

That nan teams are to meet successful different European qualifier successful nan aforesaid play is strange. After losing to Shels, Linfeld hit Lithuania's Zalgiris and Vikingur of nan Faroe Islands successful Conference League qualifying to put them connected nan bring of nan group phase.

Shelbourne mislaid to Qarabag (Champions League) and Rijeka (Europa League) successful consequent qualifiers to driblet down into a Conference League playoff.

Both teams uncovering themselves connected nan brink of qualification to nan group shape is simply a script O'Brien feels each would person jumped astatine if offered from nan start.

"In Europe, it's not thing you'll deliberation will hap but it's present now and a awesome opportunity for some teams," he said.

"If you'd person offered some teams this opportunity astatine nan commencement that we'd play for a spot successful group football, we'd person taken your manus off.

"Our performances successful Europe person been very bully and now it's astir implementing that."

The erstwhile Republic of Ireland world did not bargain into nan proposal his players took their celebrations astatine Windsor Park from nan first gathering excessively acold and it will service arsenic added information for Linfield.

"That euphoria is what you play nan crippled for, truthful I'm not going to show nan lads to calm down.

"You put truthful overmuch activity and effort into it, erstwhile you triumph you celebrate. It's for illustration Rijeka present nan different nighttime [after beating Shelbourne successful nan Europa League qualifiers], for maine to kick astir nan sound coming retired of their dressing room.

"That's what football's astir - celebrating erstwhile you win. In 2 weeks' clip erstwhile whoever gets through, they'll beryllium celebrating."