Bohs begin Champions League campaign | Airtricity League

Bohs begin Champions League campaign

Bohemians face Welsh opposition in European competition for the second time in two years when The New Saints (TNS) come marching into Dalymount Park tonight.

TNS are the reigning Welsh league champions, having won the title earlier this year with a very convincing goal difference of 56 (69 goals for, 13 against). Rhyl FC, whom Bohemians beat 9-3 on aggregate in the Inter Toto Cup in 2008, finished sixth.

Bohemians manager Pat Fenlon has seen TNS play and reckons “they are a very good side, as good as anything in our league and probably better than most”. He notes they have a blend of youth and experience “including players who have been in the lower leagues in England”.

“They are a quality team and they passed the ball around a fair bit in the two games I saw them in” Fenlon added.

Over the past 15 years TNS have played teams from Poland, Finland, Iceland, Sweden, Latvia and Lithuania as well as Liverpool and Manchester City in European competition. “Their results in Europe have been decent. They have gone out by not by too many goals. They have lost by the odd goal here and there, playing against strong opposition,” Fenlon observed.

“They have had a few pre-season matches and haven’t conceded a goal so far. The one advantage we will have over them should be our fitness levels. Hopefully that can count in the game.

“We got a bit more youth into the team this year and that’s starting to show benefits. We’ve also got experienced players who have been around a bit and they have played in Europe,” Fenlon said.

“The older lads know it’s a different game, played over two legs, and that’s not something the younger players are used to. So it’s important that we have the older players to help the younger ones.”

The Bohemians manager faces this challenge with Steven Gray and Anto Murphy both still sidelined through Achilles injuries and Aaron Greene also out (ankle).

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