IT has been an emotional couple of days for all involved with St Patrick's Athletic, laced with the perspective that only a tragic death can bring.

This evening, at the exact moment they kick off potentially the biggest game in the club's history against Hertha Berlin, the body of Noel O'Reilly will be removed to St Francis Xavier's Church in Gardiner Street ahead of his funeral tomorrow.

Such a sudden loss is capable of making everything else pale into insignificance. Yet, in the shadow of that, the Saints management and players are aware that if they can somehow overhaul Hertha's two-goal lead and qualify for the group stages of the UEFA Cup then it would open the door to a world that stalwarts of the Irish football community like Noel spent their lives working towards.

"My first priority this year was to win the league," said John McDonnell. "But if we get through this, 10 leagues here wouldn't compare to that. If we can break through that barrier, it's beyond thinking about."

The Saints boss doesn't want to make trite comments saying they'll be going out there to do it for O'Reilly. His old mate wouldn't have wanted it that way. Recognising the role he played in developing many of these St Pat's players at some stage in their career would give a lot more satisfaction.

"I wouldn't like to be using it as a tool," said McDonnell. "I know he'd be here heading every ball and kicking every ball but I don't want to be using it.

"I'm sure all the players have their own memories. With the exception of Ryan (Guy -- from the USA) all the players would have worked with him at some stage.

"He has given us all some help along the way. He wasn't only a coach to me, he was a friend to me and if we do get through this he'll have helped us in some way, through the memories and the education he's given to the players."

So, with heavy hearts, the show must go on. While the Saints are long outsiders to oust their Bundesliga opposition in their rented accommodation at the RDS this evening, they believe they can ruffle the feathers of their opponents, particularly as they are coming off a derby defeat to struggling Energie Cottbus at the weekend. The feeling is that if pressure is applied then the Germans might crumble.

A range of components go into creating that scenario. First and foremost, it's about the cleverness of the tactical approach, with McDonnell and key midfielder Gary Dempsey speaking yesterday about the need to press further up the pitch and forbid their visitors from enjoying any relaxation time. Their defence looked far from watertight in the first leg at the Olympic Stadium a fortnight ago.