Given: We must play better

Republic of Ireland hero Shay Given fears a repeat of their Swiss heartache if the Irish reproduce their shambles in Cyprus.

Newcastle goalkeeper Given kept Irish World Cup hopes alive, and manager Brian Kerr in a job, following another world-class performance at the GSP Stadium in Nicosia.

After Sunderland striker Stephen Elliott had given Ireland a sixth-minute lead, Given produced a string of typically stunning saves, in particular turning aside a 14th-minute penalty from Ioannis Okkas.

The remainder of the first-half was a one-man show as his team-mates collapsed like a pack of cards under intense Cypriot pressure, making the kind of errors normally reserved for a Sunday league game, rather than highly-paid professionals.

Given’s heroics set up a do-or-die showdown with Switzerland at Lansdowne Road on Wednesday when nothing less than victory will guarantee Kerr’s side a top-two finish in Group Four, and with it at least a play-off place.

Remarkably, it will be two years and a day since Ireland took on the Swiss in the final match of a European Championship qualifying campaign needing a victory to seal a play-off spot – only to lose 2-0 courtesy of an abject performance.

The Irish will be hoping yesterday’s display was the one bad performance of this campaign, and that surely there can be no repeat, either of what was witnessed in Cyprus or in Basle in 2003.

“Maybe we were a bit fortunate to get the three points, but you take what you get, and it’s what we came for,” said Given.

“We know we didn’t play well, particularly in the first half when our performance was unacceptable, giving the ball away too easily and leaving ourselves very open at the back at times.

“We were very lucky to come through that first half, but when you don’t play so well, it’s important you try to keep a clean sheet, and we did that.

“The lads in front of me at least managed to get in some great blocks, while I made some saves when called upon and we got the win we wanted.

“It means we’re still in the World Cup and in with a chance of getting to Germany next year, although we know we can – and we must – play better.

“But there’s no point being negative because we have to be positive going into the game with Switzerland, and our morale is still good.

“In a game like last night the result makes up for any concerns over the performance, because as we all know, football is a strange game and often you can play well and end up with nothing.”

It was almost a case of déjà vu as the Republic had taken the lead in both their games with Israel in this qualifying campaign, and in the match in Switzerland, only to finish up with a point on all three occasions – results that have cost them dear.

Against Cyprus they rode their luck, with Given dismissing suggestions they are fragile when in front, adding: “I wouldn’t say we’re nervous when we get a lead.

“We just didn’t play well, and they created some problems. I was surprised at just how pumped up they were. They were no mugs.

“But any time you represent your country, you are proud to play, and they showed they are a decent team with some good players, in particular the two guys up front who play for Olympiakos.

“It didn’t take a rocket scientist to tell us we needed to improve after the break, and we managed that, creating a couple of chances late on and we should have killed the game off.

“But at 1-0 a team always has a chance of scoring, especially towards the end of a game, as I’m sure people remember when Israel scored a late goal.

“I suppose there was a little bit of nervousness amongst the fans, but we managed to keep our concentration and we kept them out.”