Ireland defeated on frustrating night at Aviva
Republic of Ireland 0 Iceland 1
Seamus Coleman wasn’t forgotten, the stricken skipper getting a round of applause two minutes into the action but, in terms of the personnel on the pitch, the occasion was all about how Ireland’s supporting cast would fare in auditioning for leading roles, as captain for the night, Robbie Brady, had done so successfully in the past.
In the end, it was a largely disappointing evening for all concerned, with Iceland winning by a single goal, though Daryl Horgan, in particular, can be pleased with a promising first 30 minutes of action in the green shirt which was much appreciated by the home crowd. Eunan O’Kane and Callum O’Dowda were other subs who made a mark.
While Brady reverted to left-back, there were debuts for the previously uncapped Corkmen, Brentford’s John Egan at centre-half (alongside Alex Pearce) and Aston Villa’s Conor Hourihane in midfield, while Aberdeen’s Jonny Hayes also got his first start after two previous appearances off the bench.
Following his lively cameo last Friday, it was no surprise to see Aiden McGeady in from the first whistle this time, with further experience welded onto an experimental line-up in the shape of 64-cap Kevin Doyle and the only survivors from the side which started against Wales, Jeff Hendrick and James McClean, the latter starting upfront alongside Doyle.
Iceland manager Heimer Hallgrimsson also reshuffled his troops after their 2-1 win in World Cup qualifying against Kosova, but luxuriantly bearded skipper Aron Gunnarsson, the personification of the team’s heroics at Euro2016, was a familiar sight in the visitors’ engine room.
For home supporters — and doubtless the Irish management too — much of the focus of attention was on Cyrus Christie, the first in line with the daunting task of filling Coleman’s boots for the second half of the World Cup campaign.
Earning just his eighth cap last night, the 24-year-old Derby County full-back might lack the commanding presence and inspirational effect of the Donegal man, but he is certainly not short of confidence or ambition, even if this turned out to be as largely an unrewarding night for him as it was for the bulk of his team-mates.
In a first half played at a pretty pedestrian pace, John Egan didn’t exactly have a dream start to his senior Irish career, first taking a blow to the head which required bandaging and then, 20 minutes in, picking up a yellow card when the Danish referee spotted him tugging back the shirt of Kjartan Finnbogason a couple of yards outside the box.
Worse punishment duly followed as, from the resultant free kick, the wall failed to do its job — Conor Hourihane and Jeff Hendrick the main offenders — leaving Keiren Westwood a helpless spectator as Hordur Magnusson found the corner of the net to give Iceland the lead.
And that was about that as far as noteworthy incidents were concerned right through to the break, with Iceland mainly content to defend their lead and Ireland wholly incapable of troubling Ogmudur Kristinsson in the visitors’ goal.
As an attacking threat the Irish were toothless, with the ever-willing Doyle and McClean reduced to chasing lost causes, and McGeady having one of those all too familiar nights in a green shirt, promising much but ultimately delivering little.
Ireland’s best service into the box came from some deep Brady deliveries while, also on his side of the pitch, Jonny Hayes initially caught the eye with some busy runs and productive use of the ball.
Overall, though, this was an Irish performance which, perhaps not surprisingly given the circumstances, was distinctly lacking in cohesion and, most especially, tempo. The B team had clearly not brought their A-game.
Doubtless with the manager’s words ringing in their ears, Ireland began the second half by finally suggesting they were intent on taking the game to their opponents, Brady and Christie now far more advanced and seeing plenty of the ball on their respective flanks.
But with nothing still to show for the home side’s improved efforts, Martin O’Neill was clearly going to have to look to his bench to inject some spark into his team’s display and, just past the hour mark, the mere introduction of Daryl Horgan and Andy Boyle certainly had a positive effect on the mood of the crowd, as they rose to acclaim the double debut of the two Preston players who had so recently been League of Ireland favourites with Dundalk.
And Horgan gave fans even more reason to cheer eight minutes later as, in trademark fashion, he outfoxed two Icelandic markers before driving a low left-footed cross across the face of goal which just eluded James McClean.
As both managers made a raft of substitutions, Horgan continued to look a threat, with the arrival of the spring-heeled Callum O’Dowda and the industry of Eunan O’Kane also adding to Ireland’s attacking promise, as the green shirts flooded forward in search of the equaliser.
However, even with Shane Long on the pitch, the homeside couldn’t find a breakthrough, the ‘ssons of Iceland’ standing firm under a series of crosses to comfortably retain their one goal lead right to the end.
Substitutions
Daryl Horgan for Jonathan Hayes (62) Eunan O’ Kane for Conor Houihane (62) Stephen Gleeson for Jeff Hendrick (62) Andy Boyle for John Egan (63) Shane Long for James McClean (71) Callum O’Dowda for Aiden McGeady (72) Iceland: Holmur Eyjolfsson for Ragnur Sigurdsson (51) Elias Omarsson for Aron Sigurdsson (64) Ottar Karlsson for Kjartan Finnbogason (71) Arnor Smarason for Olafur Skulason (78)Vidar Jonsson for Birkier Saevarsson (84) Ari Skulason for Rurik Gislason (87).
Jakob Kehlet (Denmark).
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