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Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny still awaits the first win of his fledgling senior international career following the bitter disappointment of a one nil Nations League defeat by Wales in Cardiff this Sunday afternoon with the winning goal coming on 66 minutes. The litany of events surrounding the Covid-19 situation, which continued in this international window, is a significant factor in this run of seven matches without a victory and scoring just one goal.

This afternoon’s contest again offered certain rays of promise but  putting the ball in the net remains a forlorn target. Ireland were the dominant team throughout the opening half without creating any clear cut chances. There were a couple of efforts from Robbie Brady who showed glimpses of quality from a central midfield position but his later move to a wider area proved less fruitful.

The back four looked reasonably solid with Kevin Long showing the benefit of his recent series of first team matches at club level. Shane Duffy was in better form but is still some way from his best. Much the same can be said of Matt Doherty whose excellent club form last season came from a more advanced wing back position. He seems less at home in the traditional full back role and this evening, unusually, made no inroads in forward positions. Dara O’Shea showed his versatility in the left back position and while very inexperienced offers much promise of better things to come.

The other young duo, Adam Idah and Jayson Molumby offer hope for the future but their inexperience is still evident and it will require time and patience for them to make the necessary improvements. Jeff Hendrick, again playing the holding midfield role, was disappointing this afternoon culminating in his dismissal in added time which rules him out of Wednesday’s crucial meeting with Bulgaria. Molumby also received a yellow card, his second of this Nations League, which also rules him out on Wednesday. Daryl Horgan started quite brightly but again, as on Thursday, faded quite significantly and was replaced on 59 minutes by teenager Jason Knight who looked quite promising although his inexperience rendered him culpable in the concession of the Welsh goal.

James McClean gave a typical energetic performance but not quite at his historic level. There were late substitute appearances for Conor Hourihane, James Collins, Jack Byrne and Callum O’Dowda but little opportunity to make any significant impact although Collins did provide a more physical presence which may see him receive a starting role against Bulgaria on Wednesday evening.

Team: D Randolph; M Doherty, S Duffy, K Long, D O’Shea; J Molumby, J Hendrick, R Brady; D Horgan, A Idah, J McClean
Substitutes:
J Knight for Horgan 59′
J Collins for Idah 75′
C Hourihane for Molumby 75′
J Byrne for Brady 81′
C O’Dowda for O’Shea 81′
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The play-off to determine which club occupies the final Premier Division place next season took place this Sunday afternoon in Richmond Park at 2.30pm and saw First Division play-off winners Longford Town score the only goal to defeat Shelbourne who now suffer relegation from the top rung. The Midlanders deserved their success but the task was made less challenging with the dismissal of Shelbourne captain Byrne for two bookable offences in the space of three early minutes.

In other news, newly formed Limerick club Treaty United have applied for a senior licence and are expected to make application to enter the Airtricity League First Division next season.

Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny has announced his starting eleven for this afternoon’s Nations League contest against Wales in the Cardiff City Stadium.

Team: Darren Randolph; Matt Doherty, Shane Duffy(C), Kevin Long, Dara O’Shea; Jeff Hendrick, Jayson Molumby, Robbie Brady; Daryl Horgan, James McClean; Adam Idah.

The dream of contesting a first European Championship Finals at U21 level is over for this qualifying campaign. Our U21 side went down to a two one defeat by Iceland in a crucial qualifier played in Tallaght Stadium early on Sunday afternoon. Ireland were seeking to consolidate dreams of qualifying for a first Championship Finals and also revenge for a disappointing one nil defeat by our visitors on a plastic surface in Reykjavik during October last year. However It was not to be as Iceland completed the double over us with an added time winner. The visitors took a 25th minute lead somewhat against the run of play but thereafter Ireland were not quite able to find the form visible in the early stages of this qualifying campaign. A fortunate own goal equaliser in the 75th minute brought renewed hope but it was not to be with the visitors securing the points with the winning goal in added time.

One wonders if the opportunity to reach a first Championship Finals at this level might not have served greater purpose than the early elevation of six eligible players to the senior squad (Caoimin Kelleher, Dara O’Shea, Jayson Molumby, Jason Knight, Adam Idah, Aaron Connolly). Todays task was made further difficult by the injury absence of Jonathan Afolabi, Luca Connell and goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu.   

Team:
Ed McGinty(Sligo Rovers); Lee O’Connor(Tranmere Rovers-Loan), Conor Masterson(QPR)(C), Nathan Collins(Stoke City), Liam Scales(Shamrock Rovers); Conor Coventry(West Ham United), Jack Taylor(Peterborough United); Anthony Scully(Lincoln City), Connor Ronan(Grasshopper Zurich), Zach Elbouzedi(Lincoln City); Michael Obafemi(Southampton)

Substitutes:
Troy Parrott(Millwall-Loan) for Scully 46′
Joshua Kayode(Dundee-Loan) for Obafemi 74′
Daniel Mandroiu(Bohemian) for Ronan 74′
Thomas O’Connor(Gillingham-Loan) for Coventry 83′

Unused Substitutes:
Brian Maher(Bray Wanderers)
Mark McGuinness(Ipswich Town-Loan)
Danny McNamara(St Johnstone-Loan)
Darragh Leahy(Dundalk)
Jamie Lennon(St Patrick’s Athletic)
Will Ferry(Southampton)
Danny Grant(Bohemian)
Ryan Cassidy(Accrington Stanley-Loan)

Fixtures:
Sunday 15 November     RoI 1-2 Iceland     Tallaght Stadium  12.30pm
Wednesday 18 November   Luxembourg v RoI   Beggen  4.30pm

             P  W  D  L   F  A   G/D   Pts
Italy(Q)     9  7  1  1  23  4   19    22
Iceland      9  6  0  3  16 12    4    18 
Ireland      9  5  1  3  13  7    6    16
Sweden       8  5  0  3  26  8   18    15
Armenia      8  1  0  7   4 26  -22     3
Luxembourg   8  1  0  7   2 23  -21     3

 

 

Captain Seamus Coleman, midfielder Harry Arter and defender John Egan, who suffered a head injury at Wembley on Thursday evening, are out of the Ireland squad for the upcoming Nations League fixtures against Wales and Bulgaria. Also absent will be Alan Browne who tested positive for Covid-19 following the midweek fixture against England on Thursday evening. James McCarthy, who missed the England match for unspecified personal reasons, has not as yet re-joined the squad and will not be available in Cardiff.

Further to the previously announced additions to the squad, manager Stephen Kenny has now called up defenders Ciaran Clark and Darragh Lenihan together with midfielders Josh Cullen and Jason Knight who has transferred from the U21 Squad which also faces two European Championship qualifiers in the next five days.

Updated Squad:
Goalkeepers: Caoimhin Kelleher(Liverpool), Darren Randolph(West Ham United), Mark Travers(AFC Bournemouth)
Defenders: Ciaran Clark(Newcastle United), Matt Doherty(Tottenham Hotspur), Shane Duffy(Glasgow Celtic-Loan), Darragh Lenihan(Blackburn Rovers), Kevin Long(Burnley), Ryan Manning(Swansea City), Dara O’Shea(West Bromwich Albion)
Midfielders: Robbie Brady(Burnley), Jack Byrne(Shamrock Rovers), Josh Cullen(RSC Anderlecht), Jeff Hendrick(Newcastle United), Conor Hourihane(Aston Villa), Jason Knight(Derby County),James McCarthy(Crystal Palace), Jayson Molumby(Brighton & Hove Albion)  
Forwards: James Collins(Luton Town), Ronan Curtis(Portsmouth), Daryl Horgan(Wycombe Wanderers), Adam Idah(Norwich City), Sean Maguire(Preston North End), James McClean(Stoke City), Callum O’Dowda(Bristol City)

The gamble of accepting the challenge to face FIFA 4th ranked England rather than a lesser opposition seriously backfired for Ireland in Wembley Stadium this Thursday evening.

The match, for a contest it was not, provided a shattering illustration of the task facing manager Stephen Kenny in his quest to build a successful side.

The three nil result does not truly reflect the disparity between the two sides, it quite easily might have been at least double that scoreline. While Ireland were without several important players, the hosts also selected several players not considered first choices.

Ireland provided a couple of bright passages of play in the opening fifteen minutes but without any end product. In fact it was not until the 71st minutes that we had a shot on target and there was but one further effort during the remainder of the match.

There were some very poor contributions, particularly from senior players, which will be of serious concern to Stephen Kenny. The lack of game time at club level for goalkeeper Darren Randolph was a topic of debate prior to the match and his performance personified staleness while the recent poor form of Shane Duffy with loan club Glasgow Celtic continued this evening. While the 14th minute exit of John Egan through a head injury did not help, the back four was a unit in name only. The absence of Seamus Coleman was seriously felt with replacement Cyrus Christie looking out of his depth while Matt Doherty was also extremely quiet at left back. The holding midfield role was filled by Jeff Hendrick who was by some distance Ireland’s best player. Daryl Horgan offered some early bright moments but he too soon faded.

There was some degree of improvement following the introduction of  substitutes in the 60th and 71st minutes of the second half but the match was already over at that stage and therefore it is difficult to asses their true value. Substitutes James McClean, Ronan Curtis and Jayson Molumby did offer some additional bite but it was all too little too late.

Team: Darren Randolph; Cyrus Christie, Shane Duffy(C), John Egan, Matt Doherty; Jeff Hendrick, Conor Hourihane; Callum O’Dowda, Alan Browne, Daryl Horgan; Adam Idah
Substitutes:
Dara O’Shea for Egan 14′
Robbie Brady for O’Dowda 60′
Kevin Long for Christie 60′
James McClean for Horgan 60′
Ronan Curtis for Idah 71′
Jayson Molumby  for Hourihane 71′

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