Ye were told lads
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Brian Kerr’s column in the IT is fucking superb.
Rocko deserved to go through the door, was clearly causing interference on the run in.
The only black mark on the night goes to @dodgy_keeper and @Rintintin for drinking in Slattery’s. Has there been a statement of clarification from either party yet?
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No.
They should be ashamed of it, one thing to drink a pint in there but to then brag about it on the Internet.
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Post it up for fucks sakes.
Great night, great buzz, you could feel going in we weren’t to be be beat.
The Bosnians in contrast were heartless cunts and never really upped the tempo when they were chasing it. Passing for the sake of it.
Walters,McCarthy,Whelan in that order were the men of the match tonight. Aside from the two goals Johnny Walters was fucking immense, covered every blade of grass. Tireless, chased down a back pass to the keeper with only a few minutes to go, don’t where he gets the energy from.
McCarthy and Whelan gave great protection to the defence behind them, the bosnians couldn’t get through them at all, though they were utterly inept as mentioned above.
Randolph is a great keeper, someone will surely pick him up.
Defence held firm last night but you’d be a bit worried about them, but fuck it that’s for another day.
Wrecked today but well worth it.
So come on James McCarthy,
Ireland’s having a party,
Cos we’ve qualified, yes we’ve qualified
So come on James McCarthy,
Ireland’s having a party,
Cos we’ve qualified, yes we’ve qualified
So come on James McCarthy,
Ireland’s having a party,
Cos we’ve qualified, yes we’ve qualified
So come on James McCarthy,
Ireland’s having a party,
Cos we’ve qualified, yes we’ve qualified
So come on James McCarthy,
Ireland’s having a party,
Cos we’ve qualified, yes we’ve qualified
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Randolph can only kick with his right foot. Not sure whether this is a major weakness in his game but it was very apparent last night.
He also kicks the ball right at the edge of the box and handled it outside the box at least once in doing so.
a long couple of days
we did very well last night, Hendrick . Maccarthy and Wes ( firsy half ) did exceptionally well,
the 2 lads clarke and keogh were very very solid as well at the back
Fair play to Walters as well, a magnificent player, i think it was probably Coleman’s best game for Ireland also
Not sure i agree with the love in for Brady, He is woefully inconsistent and his deliveries at times are woeful, Murphy is obviously out of his depth up front but he fulfills his purpose, he has no skill whatsoever and cant really do anything with the ball but his role is to run, chase and create chamces by default and that he does ok, Long obviosuly is a 100 times more potent option
Ill forgive Maclean simply because of his second half v Poland in March and against Georgia in september, He was a liability last 2 nights, its immaturity tho
They were poor, Dzeko was an embarrassment, they really had no idea what to do with us
Their fans were sound out tho, and i wish them well
Just like Limerick’s Freddy Hall.
What was the away trip like mate?
Were there a number of the cunts giving it the 'ol “Alan snackbar” during the minutes silence.
Fuck them cunts.
I’m not so sure that’s what they were saying, mate.
In my defence we were in The Oval for a number of hours preceding kick off but one of our party had to go to Slattery’s for collection of a match ticket so that’s how I ended up in there.
Criticism duly noted.
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There were originally 2 open doors.
@therock66 closed one of them during the race which meant the door in front of me was now shut and I had to change my running lane to attack the open door (which wasn’t wide open because @therock66 was in the process of closing that too). I’m happy I ran fairly.
I (we) drank bottles on the road outside Slattery’s looking in with disgust at the cunts within.
A special night in Dublin. This was a throwback to Jack’s days, almost, not unlike the Belgium or Spain games before we qualified in ’88 and ’90. It was all about energy, heart and pressure.
Not that the performance was all boot and bollick. There was Wes Hoolahan, amidst the spitting fire, demanding the ball be played to his feet, and some moments of short passing did break through the din. Not enough to scare the other nations going to France next summer, but enough to show what could happen if we really put our trust in Hoolahan’s ability, even at the ripe old age of 33 (going on 25).
But this Irish team played with a steely focus. The tone was set by a boisterous Monday crowd, who packed the Dublin 4 pubs from 5pm sharp, followed by the way Jon Walters and Jeff Hendrick were given licence to switch wings. This was in stark contrast to the other night in Zenica when Martin O’Neill sent out a rigid, yet structurally sound, 4-4-1-1 system.
The missing element? Walters. Along with Hendrick, he has become so important to a successful Euro campaign. It’s the intelligence with which they play, Hoolahan as well, as they fluidly switch sides without leaving either full back exposed.
That shape was only really settled upon during the Germany game. But a more footballing approach is still needed. It suits us better. We all remember what happened in Poland three and a half years ago. After doing so well to qualify, the Trapattoni 4-4-2 approach proved grossly outdated when faced by the modern style of elite nations.
Naturally creative
That lesson must be, and I think has been, learned. O’Neill has modernised our approach to international football. That Wes has become a fixture helps. As does Robbie Brady. Both naturally creative footballers, neither could get a kick of the ball under the wise old Italian’s reign of efficiency and draws.
O’Neill and Roy Keane have sought to grow Ireland into a more collective force that can play with enough fluidity, yet maintain the defensive solidity which remains so crucial when faced by the best players in the world.
That’s the legacy they are in the process of leaving.
Much of Martin’s selections have seemed like an experimental process; searching for the players and formation required to get results home and away. These last two games showed us he is close to finding the right shape and a more consistent starting XI.
So far so good. We have qualified. It’s an achievement we know not to take for granted after so many years in the wilderness (pre-1988 followed by 2002-12). The warm-up games before next summer give Martin and Roy a chance to further mould the newly discovered shape to their liking.
Because no football nation worth its salt wants to just qualify. And we remain a football nation. You just had to hear the place shake last night.
The GAA give us our magnificent national games and professional rugby is thriving because it’s in touching distance for the kids of Dublin and Limerick. I know better than most about the history of boxing on this island (my Belfast dad was a trainer), but soccer remains the game of the people. All the people.
Also consider that we have made it to France despite two of our greatest servants being unable to get into the team. Hopefully Robbie Keane and John O’Shea can have important roles to play in France, on and off the pitch.
We’ll take the penalty. It wasn’t really a penalty but the crowd got their wish and we were playing in the right manner to earn it. God, they were wonderful when baying for blood last night. It was lovely to see and feel. Imagine being a young boy or girl walking down Lansdowne road last night. You’d be hooked for life.
The visitors looked jaded after Friday’s exertions and the travel day. Emir Spahic was like John O’Shea in Warsaw. Every time he went into a challenge it was reckless. He should have been red-carded. Edin Cocalic was useless so I was sad to see him go after half-time. We had them on the rack. That’s why it frustrated me not to see Whelan or McCarthy dropping deep to take possession and work it up the field. We can’t ever expect to truly evolve if the knee-jerk reaction is a long ball.
Poured on the pressure
As the Bosnians poured on the pressure we retreated closer to our penalty area. It invited them on and was always going to lead to a goal chance or two. We became fairly rigid with McClean on the left, Walters on the right and Hendrick battling in the middle with McCarthy and Whelan. Long was up front all alone but that was the recipe required at that moment in the game.
But this team has grown. As the hour mark came and went the players came out of their shell and started playing again. Brady delivered a great ball into the box for Walters, the brilliant Jon Walters, who made it 2-0.
It was fitting that Walters was the last man to touch the ball. He drags the rest of them with him and took his penalty with class, but it’s his desire that makes him so vital to the cause.
And it is a genuine cause again.
Magnificent victory. The entire island is off to France. Mad.
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That’s a top, top article.
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