1988 Red Star Belgrade
Dundalk crashed to their worst ever home defeat in European competition in this match against the powerful Yugoslav champions. Despite going into this match as Double champions, Dundalk could only attract 3,200 people to this match. This was a terrible turnout compared to the 11,000 at the Brandywell to see Derry play Cardiff City and 8,000 to see St Pat’s play Hearts. It took Red Star 30 minutes to get to really get to grips with the game and Dundalk played some fine attacking football. Red Star went close on 10 minutes when Drajon Stojkovic released Mrkela into the box but Alan O’Neill came quickly off his line. Martin Murray was having a great game and on 23 minutes Dessie Gorman came very close to connecting to Murray’s great cross across the 6 yard box.
Dundalk had a great chance on 30 minutes when Wyse and Lawless combined to send Kehoe straight through on goal but Davidovic saved well. Davidovic was then called upon to save a rasping drive from Larry Wyse. Stojkovic went close with a long range effort just before half time. Dundalk were very happy with their performance in the opening half and looked good to match the team of 77′s win over Hadjuk Split.
However, the 2nd half was a totally different story as Red Star produced one of the best performances ever seen in Oriel. It was Dundalk who nearly scored first when Davidovic saved from Dessie Gorman’s free kick. On 51 minutes Red Star made the breakthrough. Sabanadzovic crossed for Mrkela to give O’Neill no chance with a great finish. On 61 minutes Red Star went two up through Musemic. Two minutes later Dave Mackey conceded a penalty and Stojkovic blasted the ball past O’Neill to make it 3-0.
Red Star were playing brilliantly now and a man who would go on to make his mark in European football, Robert Prosinecki, was causing the Dundalk defence all kinds of trouble. Dundalk tried hard to get back into the game and subsitute Mick Shelly went close with a long range effort and Barry Kehoe saw a shot cleared off the line. Red Star scored two more from Stosic and Djurouski in the final three minutes to give the scoreline a very bad look.
The Dundalk team that night was O’Neill, Mackey, Cleary, Malone, Lawlor, Wyse, Lawless, Kehoe, Murray, Eviston, Gorman. Subs: Shelly for Mackey, Gannon for Lawlor.
In the 2nd Leg, Dundalk gave an improved performance in the 2nd Leg in front of 28,000 people in Belgrade. Dundalk had a number of good opportunities throughout the match. Red Star scored after only three minutes but Gorman and Eviston then went close while Martin Murray hit the upright in the second half. Mrkela added another two goals in the second half but Dundalk had a fair share of the play and the result was not a good reflection of the game.
The team in Belgrade was: O’Neill, Mackey, Lawlor, Murray, Cleary, Malone, Wyse, Gannon, Eviston, Gorman, Lawless. Subs: Shelly for Lawless, Cousins for Gorman.
Eyewitness Red Star Belgrade
Turlough O’Connor
Red Star Belgrade were one of the best sides I ever came up against as manager. They were one of the top sides in Europe at that time and won the European Cup a few years later.
John Cleary
That was another great trip. They were a super team. I remember feeling how lucky we were because there was terrible poverty out in Belgrade. But we were miles behind football wise. They had seven or eight internationals in their line up.
