Relief for Kenny as Ireland get much needed win over Gibraltar
RELIEF: Ireland get much needed win as Adam Idah and Mikey Johnston score first international goals. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
It was merely seagulls rather than vulture encircling Stephen Kenny at Aviva Stadium after his side recovered from a sticky, scoreless first to steamroll the part-timers of Gibraltar.
Once again, in Ireland’s third try at getting Euro qualification points on the board, faultlines were exposed as only an interval substitution to sacrifice a defender enlivened their gameplan.
Mikey Johnston, a bewildering omission among the five changes from Friday’s Greek tragedy, stole the show off the bench, pocketing a scruffy opener before centurion James McClean set up Evan Ferguson and substitute Adam Idah for headers from similarly close range.
Time will tell over the coming month if the FAI hierarchy witnessed enough to allow him see out the campaign, which continues in September with a double-header away to France and Netherlands.
Despite being full-square behind the team, boos were audible from supporters when the manager’s name was called out prior to kick-off and louder at the break. His signature song only got an airing with three minutes left, soon withering into the night air. The love affair is most certainly on the rocks.
Four of Kenny’s players who lacked Greece lightning in Athens were hooked, along with the suspended Matt Doherty, making way for the fresh legs of Jamie McGrath, Michael Obafemi, Dara O’Shea, Jason Knight and McClean.
The latter, celebrating his 100th cap, was predictably deployed in his favoured left-wing berth with Doherty’s spot on the right secured by Jason Knight ahead of Alan Browne.
Both wideman were bound to spend the majority of the game in the opposition half and Knight was active after just 15 seconds by latching onto O’Shea’s pass and squaring the ball to the edge of the box. McGrath, another newcomer has space to unleash but his firmly hit shot was too central for Dayle Coeling to the troubled.
The goalkeeper, one of six representatives of local based outfit Lincoln Red Imps, wouldn’t be troubled at all in the opening 45 minutes, bar another McGrath rising effort he stretched to turn over.
In between, Ireland were lacklustre and listless. Territorial dominance devoid of end product is futile and that Kenny’s crew couldn’t muster an opening from any of their five first-half corners was a damning indictment on the preparation fruits we’ve been bombarded with ever since the majority of squad were billeted to a training camp at Bristol City on May 22.
On a balmy evening, the tempo was no warmer than tepid and the boys hailing from just off the coast of Spain hardly had to break a sweat.
Marshalled by the 40-year-old Roy Chipolina, sturdy like his hometown rock, the five-man defence fused to frustrate an Ireland side that ought to equally blame themselves for being pedestrian in possession.
One example on the half hour encapsulated their struggles; Evan Ferguson irate with McGrath for opting to pass backwards instead of square along with the 18-yard line when the space appeared. Different wavelengths between teammates at the top end of the English Premier League and lower reaches of the Scottish equivalent.
There was little threat where it mattered for Ireland and even an official attempt on target by the gamey Gibraltarians when a header skimmed off Bernardo Lopes from the first free of the match into the hands of the otherwise idle Gavin Bazunu.
They shaded the first-half on the free-kick tally, a victory of sorts in the hopeless place of 42 consecutive defeats since granted entry into qualification series by UEFA and FIFA in 2014. Three-nil defeats are their latest run of consistency.
If Kenny was disappointed by the lack of creativity on Friday, he must’ve been aghast at the output in that department here. Passage after passage broke down, forcing Ireland into long-range efforts from Dara O’Shea and Josh Cullen that came to nothing.
Their clearest opening was sourced through their centurion, a shimmy by Jimmy evading a chase by policeman John Sergeant and his cross caught Coeling in limbo. Ferguson appeared poised to pounce, only to glance his header wide from six yards.
When McClean repeated the trick on his marker and earned a free-kick, a wasteful delivery into the goalkeeper’s hands was greeted by audible sights around the partially populated stands.
Those that remained made their feelings known.
Something had to change to rectify the stalemate and the realisation reached the touchline for a change of personal and formation.
Once they withstood the visitors snaffling their first corner, Ireland injected zeal to their artillery, chiefly through Johnston.
Haphazardness was firstly apparent when John Egan and O’Shea collided with each other from a 49th-minute corner, neither able to direct a routine header on target.
But a minute later came the break Kenny needed, a fortuitous free-kick awarded on the edge of the box.
Lopes seemed to be shoved by Jamie McGrath as he advanced to cut out Ferguson’s dink but Marku Barbu felt otherwise, thrusting the minnows into immediate danger.
While Johnston initially lined up to have a crack, his decision to allow Smallbone display his set-piece prowess proved wise for the shot deflected off the wall into the path of the Celtic winger to tap home.
Relief was palpable and all that remained was the winning margin.
Although Michael Obafemi reacted to his substitution by refusing to extend his hand to Kenny, joy abounded in his absence as McClean’s pinpoint cross allowed Evan Ferguson to plant his downward header past the stranded stopper.
Kenny chose the celebration to rouse the crowd by circling his arms for acclaim, but they were too wounded by two-goal leads being squandered against fellow lightweights Armenia and Lavia to embrace his gesture. At least there wasn't a hat-trick of scares.
Johnston jinked his way into position to unload a scud that the ‘keeper fumbled before batting away, McClean was denied a goal on his big night by a block from Dundalk defender Annesley and Ferguson’s near-post header was turned around the near post.
Simplicity was the key to dissecting a flagging defence and from another delicious curling ball, Idah applied a cushioned header from close-range to wrap up the stroll. Two milestones in unison – the century for the provider and belated first goal for the finisher.
G Bazunu; N Collins (M Johnston 46), J Egan, D O’Shea; J Knight (J Hendrick 84), J Cullen, J McGrath, J McClean; W Smallbone (A Browne 72); M Obafemi (T Parrott 57), E Ferguson (A Idah 84).
: D Coeling; J Sergeant (Tjay De Barr 46), R Chipolina (A Mouelhi 43), B Lopes, L Annesley, J Oliveira; K Ronan, E Britto (S Ballantine 73), N Pozo (E Jolley 68), N Hartman; A El Hmidi.
: Marku Barbu (ROU).
42, 156.
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