How a former Sheffield Wednesday player became a Europa League hero last night
and live on Freeview channel 276
Joey O’Brien, who spent two loan spells at Hillsborough during his time with Bolton Wanderers, buried not one but two spot kicks in their dramatic, late-night penalty shootout with Finnish minnows Ilves to book their place in the second qualifying round of the Europa League.
The five-cap Republic of Ireland veteran scored twice in 15 league games during his first spell at Wednesday back in 2004/05, returning in 2011.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdHe moved on from Bolton to play over 100 times for West Ham United before returning to Shamrock, his hometown club, two years ago.
After late equaliser saw them finish the match in a 2-2 draw, the Irish side won an incredible shootout 14-13, with O’Brien netting the decisive kick – his second of the shootout.
“I said to the lads who is going to be a hero?” the now 35-year-old said on a dramatic evening.
“That is what you dream of. It is why you play football out in the back garden, scoring a winner or scoring a peno in a cup final. Luckily for me I was the man to take the peno and it went in.”
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdShamrock now face the possibility of drawing the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Milan or Rangers in the second qualifying round, with a further third round standing between them and the lucrative Europa League group stages they have only qualified for once, back in the 2011/12 season.