World Cup Finals bound France eased to a comfortable two nil victory over Ireland in Paris this Monday evening. The match possession statistics of 76% to 24% and the shot ratio of 18-5 tell their own story with Ireland’s only shot on target coming in added time from late substitute debutant Shaun Williams. Defender Derrick Williams made his senior debut from the start while striker Graham Burke was the third debutant when introduced on seventy minutes. Ireland were on the back foot from the outset but held firm untill the fortieth minute when Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud stabbed home. A blunder from goalkeeper Colin Doyle saw Lyon midfielder Nabil Fekir, who is linked with Liverpool. score the second three minutes later to effectively end the contest. Teenage midfielder Kylian Mbappe, on loan at Paris St Germain from Monaco, was another to really catch the eye.
Starting Eleven: C Doyle; S Coleman (C), K Long, S Duffy, D Williams; C O’Dowda, A Browne, D Rice, J McClean; J Walters, S Long