Robbie runs rings around ‘Rock’
“We want eight,” they chanted.
But the good-natured Gibraltarians in the crowd of just over 35,000 had their own competitive milestone in mind.
“We want one,” they chanted back.
In the end, Ireland fell one short of that landmark 8-0 trouncing of Malta in 1983 while Gibraltar fell one short of scoring their first ever goal at senior level.
But for David Forde making one unorthodox save with his head, the visitors might actually have claimed a consolation goal which would also have qualified as historic. But they didn’t, and so the whole story of this ludicrously one-sided affair was Ireland scored early and scored often, Robbie Keane leading the goal charge with a hat-trick which takes his record Irish tally to 65 and also makes him the all-time leading scorer in Euro qualifiers.
The big difference between Gibraltar’s game against Poland in Faro and the game in Dublin was Ireland needed only five minutes to begin the massacre, Robbie Keane the right man in the right place to sweep home a low McGeady cross.
Four minutes later it would have been two but for a great point-blank save by Jordan Perez which left James McClean holding his head in his hands. Thereafter, however, their fortunes starkly varied – poor Perez was substituted on the hour mark while McClean went on to score twice.
But before the Derryman could find the net, Keane had already made it three, his second a composed finish from a Hoolahan pass, the third a trademark penalty. It had taken the skipper just 18 minutes to nab the third hat-trick of his international career and it meant as a meaningful contest, the game was over well before the break.
But there was still more net-busting to come. The second period had barely begun when Keane turned provider for McClean, the winger tapping home from close range with the opposition vainly pleading for an offside flag.
Enduring a truly miserable evening, Jordan Perez then suffered the ignominy of putting through his own goal in farcical circumstances after first Keane and then Hoolahan had failed to do the job. Within just another five minutes, Ireland had added two more, McClean getting his second after the keeper could only parry a Keane effort before Wes Hoolahan took advantage of static defending to round off the scoring with the kind of solo effort that seemed to belong more to the playground than an international football arena. As did, in truth, the whole game. While Irish fans enjoyed the novelty of seeing the boys in green getting to make life easy for themselves, the yawning gulf in class inevitably raised questions afterwards about whether a side like Gibraltar deserves to play at this level at all – a rather cheeky inquisition coming from these parts, you might think, considering Ireland’s recent history, includes having five put past them by Cyprus, six by Germany, a 0-0 draw with Liechtenstein and a narrow 2-1 win in San Marino.
Under the circumstance, you’d have to say that Gibraltar boss Allen Bula’s response was moderate.
“Every single nation who has joined UEFA has had heavy defeats at the start,” he said. “And even Brazil suffered a heavy defeat recently. For me it’s a question of whether we showed we can play football or are just parking the bus .
“Definitely we’re showing we like to play football. Give it time and it will be a different Gibraltar.”
And, in no time at all, probably a different Ireland too — he was kind enough not to add — in Germany this week.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Forde, Meyler, O’Shea, Wilson, Ward (Brady 69), McGeady, Hendrick, Gibson, McClean, Hoolahan (Doyle 63), Keane (Murphy 62).
GIBRALTAR: J Perez (Robba 59), Wiseman, R Cascario, R Chipolina (Santos 57), J Chipolina, B Perez, Bado (Guilling 45), Walker, Gosling, L Cascario.
Referee: Leontios Trattou (Cyprus)
There were actually seven in total but since Martin O’Neill had always stressed the importance of the early goal, it was Robbie Keane’s first of three which ensured Gibraltar were given no time to even begin entertaining ideas above their lowly station.
The almost surreal experience of watching a competitive Ireland game which, not even for one fleeting moment, gave spectators reason to contemplate some fingernail chewing.
It’s rare enough in football that a home goal is greeted with outright hilarity but there were more laughs than cheers at the slapstick sequence of events which saw unfortunate keeper Jordan Perez find his own net.
Robbie Keane’s hat-trick made him the record scorer in Euro qualifying. And, lest we forget, he also had a foot in both of James McClean’s goals.
Gibraltar manager Allen Bula likes to say that he is never going to be in the business of ‘parking the bus’ but Martin O’Neill’s emphasis on a full-on, up-tempo approach from word go meant the opposition were only allowed occasional opportunities to get out of their half.
Cypriot Leontis Trattou was probably the only man on the pitch who was less busy than Ireland goalkeeper David Forde.
While Gibraltar are at home away from home to Georgia, Ireland will be asked to step well outside of the comfort zone that was the Aviva on Saturday when they take the field in Germany against world champions who suddenly also have pride to play for.
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