SHELBOURNE survived a stomach upset but their performance gave Damien Duff plenty to bellyache about.
Defender Francisco Paul Curado used his tummy to draw his side level at Tolka Park after Mark Coyle’s early opener.
But a Will Jarvis penalty – after John Martin had been fouled – gave Shels a slender advantage to take to Gibraltar next Thursday.
Captain Coyle had put Shels ahead just 27 seconds into Shels’ first European game in 18 years.
A blatant foul on Matty Smith was overlooked but Paul Martin did well to retain the ball and lay it off to Coyle.
He fed Jarvis on the left who drew players towards him before picking out Coyle’s run with the skipper drilling the ball home from 25 yards.
It was an ideal start in front of a crowd which included new Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrímsson whose introduction over the PA system was welcomed by Duff 24 hours after he suggested razing the FAI HQ to the ground.
Although there was a restricted capacity of 3,655, there was plenty of noise and fanfare on the club’s return to continental competition, even if the opposition lacked the glamour of some of their previous opponents.
And, after Derry City’s dire defeat to St Joseph’s local rivals Bruno Magpies, Shels looked well placed to restore some pride and they were well on top for the first 20 minutes or so, moving the ball well and switching it with ease.
But it was possibly a little too straightforward with the lack of urgency ensuring that no real chances were being created.
And if the crowd had not picked up on the low tempo Duff repeatedly shouting from the sideline to ‘liven the f*** up’ at least drew their attention to his concern at how things were unfolding.
On the half-hour mark, Liam Walker – in a similar position to Coyle when he scored – put a low drive the wrong side of the post.
A couple of half-chances from Shels followed with Liam Burt off target after he had been teed up by Jarvis and Coyle sending a head directly into the hands of keeper Alejandro Navas Ruiz.
But it was slim pickings and the visitors made the most of a corner five minutes before the break with Paul Curado guiding the ball home with his midriff at the far post.
It was an utterly avoidable goal even though Shels’ defence has been weakened by the sale of Gavin Molloy to Aberdeen.
It was at the other end, though, that Duff opted to make a change at half-time with Seán Boyd sent on upfront in place of Smith.
Boyd’s introduction provided them with a targetman upfront and he contributed to them retaking the lead, knocking the ball down to Martin who was tripped by Alvaro Rey.
Will Jarvis – named SSE Airtricity/SWI Player of the Month for June – made another decisive contribution by converting the penalty.
Martin and Burt were immediately withdrawn, to be replaced by Harry Wood and Ali Coote respectively, as Duff looked to keep the pressure up on their out-of-season opponents.
It did not quite pan out that way. Right-back Seán Gannon, on his 33rd birthday, spent large spells in an advanced position waiting for a pass that never came.
And, when he did finally receive the ball in the box in the closing stages, Manuel Sanchez Lopez got across smartly to block his shot.
St Joseph’s continued to create the odd chance on the counter-attack with Sam Bone brought on for Jarvis for the closing stages to see the game out.
By then, both Duff and his opposite number Abraham Paz had been booked after an animated row which seemed to have its origins in something said or done on the pitch.
If Shels thought that was heated, they now have a 5pm kick-off to look forward to next Thursday with little margin for error, enough to make their manager feel queasy.
SHELBOURNE: 2 ST JOSEPH’S: 1
Coyle 1 Curado 40
Jarvis 58 (pen)
SUN STAR MAN: Will Jarvis (Shelbourne)
Shelbourne: Kearns 6; Gannon 6, Barrett 6, Ledwidge 6, Wilson 6; Coyle 7 (Caffrey 74, 5), Lunney 5; Burt 6 (Coote 59, 5), Smith 5 (Boyd 46, 6), Jarvis 7 (Bone 89, 3); Martin 6 (Wood 59, 6).
St Joseph’s: Navas Ruiz 6; Rey 5 (Bautista 85, 3), Curado 6 (Pons 69, 5), Jolley 6 (Rosa 85, 3), Cardozo Tomas 5, Alvarez 6 (Azmar 63, 5); Walker 7, Juanma 7, Sanchez Lopez 6, Olivero 5; Rodriguez Moreno 5 (Pena 63, 5).
Referee: Luis Teixeira (Andorra) 6.