Bohemians enter this qualifier with the benefit of four competitive matches already under their belt, including a flawless home record that has delivered two wins and just one goal conceded in Dublin. FC Midtjylland, in contrast, are still in their pre-season phase and looked…
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Sign inBohemians welcome Danish side FC Midtjylland to their Dalymount Park home on Thursday night for the first leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League third qualifying round tie. The Dubliners earned this clash after a dramatic penalty shootout victory in Kosovo, while the visitors dropped into this competition following a heavy Europa League exit to Besiktas.
Bohemians boss Alan Reynolds has no fresh injury concerns following the exhausting 120 minutes and subsequent shootout in Pristina. Patrick Hickey, whose late header forced extra-time against Ballkani, may have played his way into the starting eleven after a impactful cameo as an emergency striker. Dawson Devoy and Jordan Flores—who scored the decisive penalty—are expected to anchor the midfield, while goalkeeper Paul Walters retains his place. The Irish side are likely to line up with a similar core to the one that featured in Kosovo, though Connor Parsons, Markuss Strods, and Dayle Rooney all push for starts after entering the fray as second-half substitutions.
For FC Midtjylland, manager Thomas Tullberg can call upon a deep squad despite their aggregate defeat to Besiktas. South Korean forward Cho Gue-sung and Guinea-Bissau international Franculino Dju are expected to lead the attack. Former Bournemouth midfielder Philip Billing should retain his midfield berth after recording an assist on the opening weekend of the Danish Superliga season. The Herning outfit enter the tie without any reported injury setbacks.
Bohemians secured their place in this round by edging Kosovan champions Ballkani 5-4 on penalties in Pristina. Douglas James-Taylor converted a first-half spot-kick on the night before Patrick Hickey’s 88th-minute header dramatically levelled the tie at 4-4 on aggregate. After a goalless extra-time, Bajram Jashanica struck Ballkani’s opening penalty against the post, allowing Collie Whelan, Dawson Devoy, Cian Byrne, Dayle Rooney, and Jordan Flores to convert emphatically for the Gypsies. The victory guarantees the League of Ireland club a minimum of €1.075 million in UEFA prize money.
Notably, the official Irish Mirror match report indicates the tie is expected to be played at Tallaght Stadium rather than Dalymount Park, which currently falls short of UEFA standards for this stage. However, no formal venue switch has been confirmed by the club or governing body as of writing.
Thomas Tullberg, appointed in September 2025, steered Midtjylland to Danish Cup glory in his debut campaign and has carried that momentum into the new domestic season. However, the Wolves stumbled badly in Europe, losing 3-0 on aggregate to Turkish giants Besiktas in the Europa League second qualifying round. That result relegated them to the Conference League third qualifying round. Domestically, Tullberg’s men have started positively, and they will lean on their unbeaten recent record against domestic opponents to rebuild continental confidence. Midtjylland are a club with considerable European pedigree, having regularly featured in UEFA group-stage football, and they arrive in Dublin as firm favourites to progress.
The engine room will likely decide the tie’s flow, and the duel between Bohemians’ spot-kick hero Jordan Flores and Midtjylland’s Premier League-experienced Philip Billing is the standout contest. Flores’ composure from 12 yards in Pristina epitomised his growing influence in the Bohemians midfield, but he now faces a physically imposing opponent in Billing, whose assist on the opening weekend of the Danish season underlines his ability to dictate tempo. Whichever midfielder gains control of the central third will give their side a crucial foothold ahead of next week’s return leg in Denmark.
Bohemians will look to harness the tight, atmospheric confines of their usual Phibsborough home to carry an advantage into the second leg at the MCH Arena, where Midtjylland’s European know-how will make for an altogether different examination.
Bohemians
MID · 78' · 2 key passes
DEF · 95' · 1 shot
MID · 95'
25
GK · 95'
MID · 17'
FC Midtjylland
FWD · 95' · 1 goal · 2 key passes · 3 shots (3 on target)
DEF · 95'
DEF · 95'
FWD · 88' · 1 goal · 2 key passes · 2 shots (2 on target)
MID · 56'
12
24
16
15
6
10
18
7
26Bohemians
Coach: Alan Reynolds
FC Midtjylland
Coach: Mike Tullberg
