Trap’s Thomond thumping

A 30-YARD screamer right at the death ensured that Ireland versus Australia ended, appropriately enough, with a rugby scoreline but there was nothing grand about the slamming defeat which the Irish footballers endured on their first ever outing at Thomond Park.

Although David Carney’s spectacular injury time goal rubbed salt in Irish wounds, the real damage had been done in the first 45 minutes, a half which witnessed as lacklustre and disjointed a performance from the home side as we have seen under Giovanni Trapattoni. And a much brighter, slicker and well-drilled Australian side were well-poised to take advantage, ultimately inflicting only the second defeat of the Italian’s reign.

That both reversals have come in friendlies might be some source of consolation except that we had been led to believe that last night’s game was going to be something of a dress rehearsal for the resumption of serious World Cup business next month. But, after this walloping setback, the Irish will need to be altogether more battle-ready and tuned-in when they travel to Nicosia to take on a Cypriot side who themselves will be smarting after being thrashed 6-1 by Albania in a friendly in Tirana last night.