Doolin and Doherty want Ireland to silence home fans
While both of Ireland’s pool games, the 2-1 win over Greece and Saturday’s loss to group leaders Czech Republic by the same scoreline, were played in front of a few hundred spectators, today’s encounter is expected to be watched by a capacity 2,600 crowd.
Results from the games so far mean that technically each of the four nations can clinch one of the two qualifying berths into Friday’s last-four.
Having lost both of their matches, Romania hold the remotest of chances, needing a two-goal victory, but that hasn’t prevented the locals getting behind their young charges.
“The stadium will be full to what it can hold — just under 3,000 — so it will be a good atmosphere and I think our players will like that,” said Doolin.
“In the elite qualifiers in Poland we had 3,000 at our games against Poland and Italy. I do think a little more atmosphere can help.”
Wolves defender Doherty, a starter at right-back in both matches, concurred.
“I think a full stadium would be a good thing for us because our players want to play in front of big crowds,” said the 19-year-old, handed his first team debut by Mick McCarthy in the FA Cup third round tie against Doncaster Rovers in January.
“Romania were beaten in their two group matches so far and, not being cocky about it, I definitely think we should win this one.
“The only thing we can concentrate on is winning our game. We would be very unlucky if we were to win and not go through to the semi-finals.
“Greece need to score at least three goals (against Czech Republic) and I’d like to know at half-time how the other game is going. That doesn’t mean it won’t be full concentration from us players on the match.”
For the first time this week, Doolin has some injury concerns, with John O’Sullivan (hip) and striker Connor Smith (calf) carrying knocks. Having made just one change for the Czech Republic game on Saturday, he hinted this selection could be far different.
“In the last phase, when we went to play Italy, we made one or two changes and they worked out very well,” he said. “So we are just having a little look around on one or two things.
“Against Italy we took Sean Murray out because he’s the type of player who can come on and do something special — and it worked out because he came off the bench and scored.”
IRELAND (probable): McCarey (Wolves); Doherty (Wolves), Egan (Sunderland), O’Connor (Blackburn), Williams (Aston Villa); Carruthers (Aston Villa), Wearen (West Ham), Ferdinand (Southend), Hendrick (Derby), Forde (Wolves); Murphy (Bray Wanderers).
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