Mark Connolly relishing another European adventure with Derry City

​Those six games which included visits to Faroe Islands, Finland and Kazakhstan were 'an amazing experience’ worth the wait for the then 31 year-old centre half who has enjoyed a distinguished career in both England and Scotland.

Derry were a penalty shootout away from a group stage play-off against FC Viktoria Plzeň as they went out on their sword against FC Tobol in Tallaght and Connolly is hoping to give the Brandywell club's travelling fans more memories to cherish as they begin another European journey in Gibraltar this Thursday night.

"That was a big thing for me last year, coming back and playing European football," said the ex-Dundee man. "Last year I was lucky enough to play six games which was amazing.

"We were unlucky to be put out on penalty shootout to get into the playoff to get into the group stages so it could so easily have been eight games.

"For me, for the first time in Europe to end up playing six games in those few months was amazing to experience the different countries and playing against different teams and different systems.

"Even for myself being a bit older, you're always learning and seeing the way other teams set up and play.

“The Kazakhstan trip is something you'll remember for your whole career. It was crazy, the travel situation and everything."

The tie will be played in front of under 800 supporters at the Europa Point stadium but Connolly expects Derry fans to make their voices heard.

"It will be strange but we had a similar situation when we went to the Faroes and there weren't too many fans and the atmosphere wasn't as you would see at Brandywell but we had it last year and we'll be ready for it.

"The fans going out there will be amazing. I've spoken to a few who said they're heading out and some are making a holiday out of it and that's what it's all about, these people getting their trips away and supporting the club they love so much."

The 2-1 win over Finnish side Kups at Brandywell in the second round last year was one of the stand-out European nights for Connolly and he's hoping fans can recreate that raucous atmosphere at the venue on Thursday week.

Several hundred City fans will make the trip to Gibraltar, with or without a ticket, and Connolly can already feel the excitement building.

"It will be a great week and hopefully they will enjoy it. I think there's 250 tickets and there will be more out in the pubs watching it so I'm sure the atmosphere will be buzzing all week.

"Last year was brilliant with the fans. The Kups game at Brandywell, that atmosphere was up there with the best atmosphere I've seen at Brandywell since I've moved back. It was electric and we just want to get back to those nights which were amazing.

"Last year we were so unlucky not to get into the playoff game. We missed out in that which would've been amazing. It shows the club is getting there and ultimately the goal is to make group stages in Europe which a few teams in Ireland have done over the last number of years. Hopefully in the near future Derry City will be one of those teams.

"But last year, the experience for myself was amazing and that night against Kups was brilliant. Some of the football we played and how we did it.

"Going to the Faroes, Finland and Kazakhstan which was extremely difficult. Stuff like that was amazing. Taking the fans we did up to Dublin on a Thursday night too, the journey we had was amazing. Hopefully we can do that again but it will be extremely difficult on Thursday in Gibraltar."

It's hard for fans not to look beyond Magpies and to a mouth-watering tie against Copenhagen who await the winners in the second round. Not for Connolly, however, who isn't expecting an easy night against the Gibraltarians.

"It's going to be extremely difficult. People might not look at it the way we will but we've seen clips of them and how they are. They're a very good team. It will be a difficult task. We knew that against the Faroe Islands team last year in the first round.

"So it will be difficult in extreme heat and while it's something we're looking forward to, it's something we're not taking lightly.

"Being how it is with the fixtures and you know who you will be playing in the next round if you're to get through, so to have that carrot dangling for both teams is a massive incentive. I don't think anyone would've thought Copenhagen would've been in the second round qualifying round of the Conference League but that's football and that's where they are.

“If we are to get through it will be an amazing experience and we would be playing against one of the best teams in the world.

" If that does happen it would be amazing but we have a big task ahead of us with Bruno's Magpies."