Troy Parrott double spoiled by late Austria comeback

TROY OF THE ROVERS: Troy Parrott celebrates a dynamite double at the Aviva. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Nations League Group B3: Ireland 2 (Troy Parrott 12, 45 (pen) Austria (Alexander Prass 72, Michael Gregoritsch 77

Football did the talking in this minor respite from Ireland consuming the national and international news cycle.

Troy Parrott’s first half-half brace, including a sumptuous opener, had the 45,784 thrown back to last October’s similar contribution against Portugal, but unlike then, they couldn’t see out the victory.

Austria are ranked 23rd in the world, well ahead of Ireland in 54, and the fact that only the World Cup finalists, Spain and Argentina, had defeated them in their last 10 games guaranteed their deficit would be attacked.

Nevertheless, it seemed Ireland were comfortable for the opening 25 minutes of the second half, only for two goals by substitutes in the space of five minutes to spoil their mission of heading top of the Nations League group at the midway stage.

Chances were traded in a madcap finale but maybe a respectable draw in the circumstances can insert some perspective into the narrative around the most testing window of this Ireland squad's careers.

Both managers had applied rotational principles to their opening pair of Uefa Nations League games and it continued for the third with reshuffles in each side.

While the opposition of Israel seemed to be a factor in Ireland’s selection, particularly Finn Azaz, Ralf Rangnick’s rationale is based on an experiential exercise in the aftermath of losing veterans the core of their previous generation, Marcel Sabitzer, David Alaba and Marko Arnautović.

His six changes from Sunday’s 3-1 victory over Kosovo meant his side comprised a goalkeeper based in Czechia, two English Premier League players, a sole Serie representative, with the remaining seven scattered across their homeland and neighbouring Germany.

One who is back in Austria after flopping in England at Wolves, Saša Kalajdžić, thought he’d grabbed an audacious opener inside the first minute. Perhaps surprised that Dutch referee Allard Lindhout didn’t penalize him for shoving Parrott off the ball near the centre-circle, the beanpole forward attempted a long-range lob. It left Caoimhín Kelleher back-peddling but the effort floated over his crossbar.

That would be the extent of the Corkman’s troubles for a while as his outfield players began to settle and he contributed to the opener with an assist.

Before that 12th minute breakthrough, Conor Coventry threatened with a shot from the edge of the area that was blocked before Adam Idah robbed David Affengruber in the danger area, only to be let down by his pass squared across the box.

Then arrived one of the best goals scored at the famous venue, probably anywhere by an Irish player. Kelleher’s pass to Parrott in Budapest last November will be revered for its importance but this one, via Idah, was similarly poetic in its execution.

Once Idah headed the kickout into Parrott’s direction, he still had two defenders. 

That he achieved with aplomb, nutmegging Philipp Lienhart, dropping his shoulder to skip past Affengruber before curling his finish between the legs of the goalkeeper.

John Egan’s approving jab of the finger towards Kelleher behind him testified to the goalkeeper’s contribution, a route-one approach that Ireland continue to be renowned for should never apologise for being associated with.

Shortly afterwards, Parrott was inches away from collecting a threaded pass into the box from Azaz but despite the fervour of the home support it was the Austrians who controlled the remainder of the half. That was apart from the lulls for the tennis ball and pitch invader interventions.

Nicolas Seiwald volleyed over with the visitors’ first glimpse of goal before Stefan Posch could only apply a soft header at Kelleher when a sliver of confusion occurred between goalkeeper and his captain Dara O’Shea from Xaver Schlager’s corner.

Kelleher was then forced into a brilliant save five minutes before the break, reacting instinctively at his near post to turn over Patrick Wimmer’s rising shot following a knockdown from Kalajdžić.

Once that pressure was absorbed, the counter-pressing ploy Heimir Hallgrímsson highlighted beforehand activated for Ireland to grab their second.

Troy Parrott slots his penalty to give Ireland a two-goal advantage. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

It began by Jack Moylan scuffing his shot when left unmarked at the back post but when the play was recycled, Ryan Manning was a millisecond ahead of Seiwald to the cross. Although the referee required VAR to validate his decision, it enabled Parrott to step up and send Wiegele the wrong way with his crisp spot-kick.

That was the ninth goal of his last six competitive games.

Stung by that second concession on the stroke of the break, Rangnick embarked on a treble-substitution and it proved effective in spite of a slow start to their revival.

Looseness of passing hampered Ireland protecting their lead, a distant memory of the Portuguese template which succeeded in retaining a clean sheet.

A portent of what was to come arrived nine minutes when Azaz was brushed off the ball by Schlager. But for a better final pass, Ireland would have been in trouble.

Gaps were there to be exploited and the space Bayern Munich’s Konrad Laimer, one of the three interval newcomers, was afforded before firing at Kelleher was ominous.

That threat only arrived with 20 minutes left but marked a seven-minute period in which Ireland were perforated with ease to cede their winning position.

Two minutes later, Wimmer shook off Dara O’Shea to hare towards the endline and square for Alexander Prass to find the roof of the net with a first-time finish. Irish fans chanted when the flag was raised for offside but VAR ruled in Austria’s favour on this occasion and the goal stood.

Once Ireland started to retreat, their lead looked vulnerable. A free-kick conceded on the edge of their box had the jitters set in and somehow Kelleher was wrong-footed by Michael Gregoritsch’s curler which flew through his own players to the side of Ireland’s walls.

Rather than either team settling for a draw, that goal sparked openings galore. Substitute Jayson Molumby was denied an Ireland winner by a Wiegele’s one-handed save from distance but Austria also carved out chances, with Gregoritsch and Prass blazing over sitters in the final stages.

IRELAND (3-4-2-1): C Kelleher; D O’Shea, J Egan, L Scales (L Kitching 62); J Abankwah (J O’Brien 75), C Coventry, F Azaz, R Manning; A Idah (J Molumby 62), J Moylan (T Cannon 86); T Parrott (C Ogbene 75).

AUSTRIA (4-2-3-1): F Wiegele; S Posch, K Danso, D Affengruber (M Wober 46), P Lienhart, P Mwene; N Seiwald (K Laimer 46), Xaver Schlager; P Wimmer, C Chukwuemeka (M Gregoritsch 46), R Schmid (A Prass 62); S Kalajdžić.

Referee: Allard Lindhout (NED).

Attendance: 45,784.