Ireland deliver on McCarthy’s twin ambition

Mick McCarthy had talked before this one about how his ambition was to win with style, and his team certainly delivered on both counts to the delight of the Aviva last night.

Tue, 26 Mar, 2019 - 23:00

Liam Mackey

[team1]Ireland[/team1][score1]1[/score1][team2]Georgia[/team2][score2]0[/score2][/score]

Mick McCarthy had talked before this one about how his ambition was to win with style, and his team certainly delivered on both counts to the delight of the Aviva last night. A superb Conor Hourihane free-kick was ultimately the difference between the two sides but, while the narrowness of that advantage made for something of a nerve-jangling finish at times, there was still plenty to savour in an Irish performance which, in its best moments, was as inventive as it was intense and as composed as it was committed.

And then just to widen the smiles already on the faces of the faithful as they left the stadium came the news that this victory, in conjunction with a 3-3 draw between Switzerland and Denmark, meant Ireland are top of Group D after two games.

In selecting his starting line-up, McCarthy had acted in a bid to address what he saw as deficiencies in the scrambled 1-0 in Gibraltar on Saturday, Matt Doherty making way for Robbie Brady playing high up on the right of a 4-3-3 with James McClean on the other flank while, in a move clearly designed to help thwart an expected greater attacking threat from Georgia, Glenn Whelan was recalled for his 86th cap, the Aviva getting a chance to say hello again to a player to whom they thought they had said goodbye when he had taken a bow in what was billed as his farewell game against Northern Ireland last November.

But the extra body in midfield came at the expense of Sean Maguire up top, the Preston striker consigned to the bench after an unrewarding outing in Gibraltar, with David McGoldrick handed the job of spearheading the attack.

On the face of it, the combined effects of the changes suggested a safety-first mentality but, with Whelan offering added protection anchoring the midfield, McCarthy would also have been hoping that, while Hourihane orchestrated things, Hendrick would have more license to get forward to apply pressure and threaten the visitors’ goal. And, from the off, the plan certainly looked like it could bear rich fruit, with the Irish firmly on the front foot and Robbie Brady getting an early opportunity to cut in from the right and shoot with his left, though his execution was disappointingly tame and an untroubled Giorgi Loria was able to watch the drift wide of his near post.

But when, in quick succession, Irish ball-winning and incisive passing ended with first Hourihane stinging the goalkeeper’s hands and then McGoldrick volleying just wide, the growing noise from the stands suggested that the crowd were really liking what they were seeing. It was 25 minutes in before the Georgian managed to get sufficiently advanced to win a corner and, after an initial bit of hesitation between himself and Darren Randolph, Glenn Whelan was well positioned on the line to keep Guram Kashia’s soft header at bay. Still, it was a reminder that, though dominant, the Irish needed to remain vigilant at the back.

Soon enough, though, the Aviva got what it craved at the other end. Hendrick’s through ball was superb and McGoldrick’s quicksilver turn drew the foul from Kashia which won Ireland a free-kick 25 yards out. To the evident frustration of the Irish players, the taking of the free had to be delayed as stewards were obliged to dispose of tennis balls thrown onto the pitch by anti-John Delaney and anti-FAI protesters in the crowd.

But the prolonged distraction didn’t faze Conor Hourihane one bit, the Corkman retaining focus to step up and bend the sweetest of left-footed shots inside the post to the back of the net.

But, for all Ireland’s good football, the fragility of their narrow lead was underlined in time added on before the break when Randolph, almost knocked off his feet by the power of Valerian Gvilia’s shot, still did not enough to bat the ball away before the danger was cleared.

Now obliged to chase the game, Georgia came much more into things in the second half, Ireland finding themselves pegged back for the first time in the game. But just coming up to the hour mark, the home side, now effectively playing on the counter-attack, rediscovered their passing groove and opened up the Georgian rearguard again, only for Jeff Hendrick’s close-range finish to be denied by the linesman’s flag.

Fears that all Ireland’s good work might be undone by either a lapse in concentration or a moment of inspiration made the crowd almost desperate for the security of a second goal, the relentless hard-working and clever McGoldrick coming so close in the 71st minute when he chased down a long ball from James McClean, took it past the ‘keeper at pace but then found the angle too narrow to finish the job.

Rightfully, McGoldrick got a huge and ovation when he left the pitch in the 82nd minute, Matt Doherty his replacement, but it was heart in mouth time just a couple of minutes later as Georgian skipper Jaba Kankava let fly from long range, his fierce shot cracking off the outside of Randolph’s far post.

A close shave to be sure but, with Whelan rolling back the years as protector-in-chief, and the whole team showing plenty of discipline, spirit and grit, Ireland finished strongly to secure a vital and, it feels good to say, fully deserved win.