ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC are focusing on turning around a 1-0 first leg deficit when they host ÍBV Vestmannaeyjar in the second leg of the UEFA Europa League First Qualifying Round on Thursday.

Richmond Park is expected to be a fortress for the Saints when they welcome the Icelandic side to Inchicore (7.45pm kick-off) with the sides battling for visit to Kazakhstan in the next round.

Saints' boss Pete Mahon will awaitr a fitness test on experienced midfielder Dave Mulcahy (knee and calf) while Derek Pender is still suffering from a bruised instep and Stephen Bradley has an abscess on his tooth and is undergoing a course of antibiotics to ensure he is 100% fit.

"Our opponents are a good team and people should be under no illusions about that.  We will have to be at our very best to beat them but that's what we want to do because we intend on staying in this competition," said Mahon.

"From what I've seen of them I know that we can create chances against them.  What we have to be careful of though, is that we don't concede the away goal.

"While we will create chances we would have to have a lot of good spells in the game in order to score three goals and that will be very, very difficult against this side.

"Even though the traveling in the next round wouldn't be ideal it's important for us to stay in this competition for as long as we possibly can.

"It's great experience for the players and myself and it's a good opportunity to pit your wits against coaches and players from different countries with different ideas.

"If we get a result tomorrow night we won't care where we have to travel so the focus is on getting through this round.

"It will be my first match managing St Pats in Europe at home and it's an important occasion for me and the players.

"I hope the St Pats fans really come out to support the team. I remember coming here (Richmond Park) years ago and the place was packed to the rafters, I hope that some of those people will come back for this game.

"If they do come back they'll see that we're not a bad team and we want to give them a reason to keep coming back.

"If we get a big crowd we can get the place rocking from the start,  get at them and make it difficult for them."

The Saints will look to build on their recent impressive European record at Richmond Park.

Since 2007 the Saints have defeated JFK Olimps (Latvia), Elfsborg (Sweden) and Krylia Sovetov (Russia) and have also drawn home games with Odense (Denmark) and Valletta FC (Malta) at the famous old ground. 

The Saints have played two home games in recent seasons at the RDS with a 2-1 defeat to Steaua Bucharest (Romania) and a 2-0 loss to Hertha Berlin (Germany).