Record-breaker Robbie’s enchanted evening

WORLD CUP QUALIFIER GROUP C:

In terms of what it all means for Ireland’s World Cup qualifying hopes, Keane’s hat-trick as the home side comfortably dismissed the Faroe Islands, was given some modest added value with the news from Vienna that Austria had defeated a Swedish side which still retains a game in hand over both its rivals in the race for second place in Group C behind Germany. Of course, a draw in the Austrian capital would have been the ideal result for Giovanni Trapattoni, while there’s no doubt his own Irish side could have done a good deal more to improve their own fortunes had they taken some of the other chances which came their way last night.

Still, on what was a milestone occasion for Robbie Keane, it would be churlish to pick too many holes in Ireland’s performance. The home side had hit the ground running against their modest opponents, only five minutes having elapsed before Keane was bringing his record goal tally for his country to 57. Setting the tone for a fine personal display, Wes Hoolahan was the chief architect in the build-up, spreading the ball out diagonally to Aiden McGeady. And when the winger’s pull-back arrived at the feet of the skipper, there was only one place the ball was going after that as, even though Keane’s contact was not the firmest, it was enough to steer the ball under the dive of Gunnar Nielsen and into the net.

David Forde’s first touch of the ball wouldn’t come until the 13th minute — and that just to deal with a backpass — as the game was played almost entirely in the half of the field where the visitors were content to mass all their forces. Not that the Irish were exactly peppering Neilsen’s goal in the first half, the final ball repeatedly letting them down after some promising approach work. McGeady was a case in point, one thrilling run up the line bringing the crowd to its feet but, as so often has happened, a limp attempt at a cross was easily cut out by the hard-working Faroese defence.

Still, the Irish certainly had their chances to double and even treble their advantage. In the 25th minute, Neilsen foiled Keane from close-range when the man of the hour looked certain to score after a well-worked free-kick routine and, in the 33rd minute, the ’keeper produced an even better save to turn the skipper’s fierce drive over the top.

Seeing plenty of the ball, McGeady was a growing menace on the flanks and when drifting into the centre but, to their credit, the Faroes didn’t crumble, instead keeping their composure and, at one point, even doing a little showboating of their own on a rare sortie into Ireland’s half as the first period neared its end. Indeed, with three minutes to go to the break, they went so far as to have a go themselves, Christian Holt’s shot a reminder to the home side that there was no room for complacency, especially when the one-sided nature of the game was not at all reflected in the scoreline.

In truth, after an ideal start, it had been poor enough fare from Ireland, an uncharacteristically out of sorts Seamus Coleman hardly the only player in a green shirt to perform below par. Simon Cox was another struggling to make any significant impact, suggesting strongly that Trapattoni should ask James McClean to see if he could cause more trouble for the doughty Faroes rearguard with his pace and power.

At the very least, what was needed at the start of the second half was a repeat of the opening to the first and, after a couple of half-chances had again gone a-begging, it duly came in the 55th minute. Again, it was Hoolahan’s eye for the killer pass which beautifully opened up the space for Coleman – the latter much improved in the second half — and when the full-back’s low ball flew across the face of goal, there was the man who just can’t stop scoring to slide in and make it two on the night and 58 for the record books.

Ireland were given a slight scare with 15 minutes to go when, from a free-kick, Atli Gregersen headed onto the roof of the net but, with 10 minutes left, it was that man Keane again, this time profiting from a deft assist courtesy of one sub, Conor Sammon, after another sub, James McClean, had crossed from the right. Taking his tally to 59 it was, remarkably enough, only the second hat-trick of Keane’s Ireland career.

The game finished with an exquisite flick near the touchline from the wonderful Hoolahan but, on what was some enchanted evening for Robbie Keane, there was only ever going to be one candidate for man of the match.

Of course, as was always understood to be the case even before a ball was kicked at the Aviva last night, the serious tests in World Cup qualifying for Ireland won’t come around until Autumn, with back to back home and away games against, respectively, Sweden and Austria

But, next up, it’s a meeting in New York with our old friends Spain – a team which, I think it’s fair to say, will ensure David Forde is kept rather busier on Tuesday than he was in the Aviva Stadium last night.

Subs for Republic of Ireland: Conor Sammon for Jon Walters (72) James McClean for Aiden McGeady (76) Stephen Kelly for Marc Wilson (81)

Subs for Faroe Islands: Joan Simun Edmundsson for Pall Klettskaro (63) Hans Pauli Samuelsen for Christian Holst (83).

Referee: M Gestranius (Fin)