5 post-match thoughts from Ireland’s draw away to Bosnia

By Ger McCarthy

The Republic of Ireland’s 1-1 draw in Zenica and crucial away goal puts Martin O’Neill’s side in the driving seat for European Championship qualification ahead of Monday night’s return leg at the Aviva Stadium.

Here are five lessons from the game…

1. Brady needs to play further forward

Robbie Brady’s opportunistic strike underlined the Norwich City player’s capacity to make something out of nothing on a night Ireland offered little in attack. Brady deceived Asmir Begovic with a superb left-footed strike but only having been pushed further forward after Wes Hoolahan’s substitution.

Martin O’Neill usually deploys Brady in the left back position and utilises the 23-year old’s set-piece delivery to good effect yet last night’s brief cameo in an attacking role suggests it is time to push Robbie Brady further forward.

Irrespective of the result, there is no getting away from the fact this was still a poor performance from an Irish team that defended manfully but were guilty of giving the ball away far too easily.

Ireland’s hopes of qualifying for next summer’s European Championships are very much alive yet the overall quality of Friday night’s display coupled with Martin O’Neill’s side’s propensity to keep giving away possession are causes for concern.

3. Irish makeshift defence performs well

Seamus Coleman, Kieran Clark, Richard Keogh and Stephen Ward’s defensive efforts were the most positive aspect a hard-fought draw in Zenica.

John O’Shea’s absence was keenly felt but a makeshift back four were brave and composed in the face of constant Bosnian pressure and all played out amid a thick blanket of fog.

Keogh and Clark’s combined efforts forced Edin Dzeko to drop deeper in an effort to get on the ball until Bosnia’s main attacking threat eventually found the net five minutes from the end. Apart from that singular lapse, Martin O’Neill can be pleased with his defence’s performance.

Bosnia and Herzegovina built on the momentum of winning their final three group qualifiers by dominating possession and territory for much of the first leg. Yet, the hosts’ failure to adequately threaten Darren Randolph’s goal repeatedly undid their good approach play.

As expected, Edin Dzeko, Miralem Pjanic and Vedad Ibisevic’s movement caused problems for a makeshift Irish defence and the home side certainly deserved their late equaliser.

Martin O’Neill’s decision to select Wes Hoolahan for the away leg was a surprise but the midfielder repaid his manager’s faith in full with a selfless display.

Hoolahan and Daryl Murphy’s willingness to close down the Bosnian defence rushed many of the hosts’ clearances and gave Ireland some much needed breathing space.

True, Ireland’s midfielders failed to get the ball to Hoolahan in enough danger areas yet the Norwich City playmaker’s workrate for the 63 minutes he was on the pitch should give Martin O’Neill plenty to think about.