Macedonia 0 Rep of Ireland 2:THE CENTREPIECE of the pre-match entertainment in the Philip II Arena on Saturday night was a package of highlights, shown on the impressive new stadium's big screens, from the previous meeting in Skopje between these two nations. The 2000 or so travelling fans, most of whom arrived early, simply had to grin and bear it but then they had the satisfaction of knowing by the end of the evening that next time the Republic of Ireland roll into town, the locals won't be bragging about home encounter number three.
However, there were a few things the Irish might wish to forget and even immediately afterwards some of the players painted a rather rosy picture of the first-half performance. Ultimately, though, the difference between the two sides was that in a first 45 minutes littered with defensive errors by both teams, Giovanni Trapattoni’s men took a couple of their chances while the hosts did not.
How it all might have turned out if Ivan Trickovski had scored a penalty that would have halved the deficit just before the break or, rather more notionally, John O’Shea had picked up a yellow card for each of his rash challenges inside the box – the first went completely unpunished – must have formed the basis for a few speculative chats back in the town’s Irish bar afterwards.
However, what really mattered at the final whistle was that Robbie Keane had scored twice and the Irish defence had regrouped well enough in the second half to successfully keep the Macedonians at bay.
The upshot is that, more than three years after taking on the job, Trapattoni has yet to see his side beaten in a competitive away game. This victory, their fifth in succession and second of the current campaign on the road, keeps them right up there alongside Russia and Slovakia at the top of their European Championship qualifying Group B, with one less potential mishap to be negotiated.
Chief amongst the list of heroes for the Irish were the familiar names of Keane and Shay Given. The former not only scored the game’s two goals – the first of them a heavily deflected speculative effort from the edge of the area after eight minutes; the second a coolly finished strike after the Dubliner pounced on a terrible error by Boban Grncarov after 36 minutes – but also contributed an enormous amount to the team’s collective effort.
Keane led from the front, regularly dropping deep into midfield in order to help out on the defensive side of things and applying a pointy stick, more than once, to the posteriors of those who he felt were not doing their bit. It was even more remarkable when you consider the striker had to receive a pain-killing injection prior to the start for his groin injury.
Given, meanwhile, effectively made an equivalent contribution by saving with his feet from Goran Pandev (after the Inter Milan striker had been put through, one on one, on the Donegalman early on) and then by brilliantly pushing a long-range effort by Mario Durovski around the post midway through the second half.
Given also had to receive an injection at half-time for a groin injury he picked up when clearing a dangerous cross.
Stephen Hunt, Aidan McGeady and Keith Andrews all contributed well to the win as well while the back four grew into things after an erratic first 45 minutes during which the hosts somehow contrived not to score.
Pandev probably has to shoulder the bulk of the blame for he had a couple of very good chances but the striker would have felt hard done by after O’Shea hauled him to the ground inside the area only for the German referee to wave his appeals away.
However, O’Shea was not so lucky when he conceded a penalty after taking a wild swipe at a dropping ball and connected instead with Pandev. But Trickovski’s well -struck effort crashed off the bar.
Had it gone in, it’s easy to imagine that Ireland’s collective confidence might have been fatally undermined. Instead, it was the home side whose heads went down with the visitors appearing to grow in stature after the interval.
Trapattoni’s men never came close to actually being on top. The hosts continued to have the bulk of possession and the inability of the Irish to settle on the ball, slow things down and keep possession was again disappointing. Yet what they lacked in collective composure they made up for with individual endeavour.
Both O’Shea and Darren O’Dea (who received a hefty blow from Given in the first half) were amongst the most improved players in the second period but there was far greater cohesion all across the back with the Macedonians allowed to push the ball around 25 metres or more out but never much closer than that.
The hosts were depending on their full-backs to provide width and Goran Popov did have his moments getting forward down the left but the Dynamo Kiev player’s end product was repeatedly disappointing.
Through the centre, meanwhile, the Macedonians soon started to look frustrated with their lack of penetration with the likes of Ferhan Hasani and Trickovski settling for mostly harmless efforts from long range. Still, the Irish defence had cause to be grateful a Pandev effort was disallowed because of a handball.
It was not all Macedonia in the closing stages and Keane was denied a hat-trick when his instinctive strike was parried by ’keeper Bogatinov – following good work from McGeady down the left.
It scarcely mattered in the end as the final whistle was greeted with great celebrations that centred around Keane and Given.
It might just be that this win helps to reignite the passion of the wider Irish support come the autumn when games against Slovakia at home and Russia away decide the fate of Trapattoni and his men. They continue, at least, to give themselves every chance.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Given (Manchester City); Kelly (Fulham), O’Shea (Manchester United), O’Dea (Celtic), Kilbane (Huddersfield); Hunt (Wolves), Andrews (Blackburn), Whelan (Stoke City), McGeady (Spartak Moscow); Keane (Tottenham Hotspur), Cox (West Brom). Sub: Long (Reading) for Cox (63 mins).
MACEDONIA: Bogatinov (Karpaty Lvov), Sikov (Ethnikos Achnas), Grncarov (APOEL); Noveski (Mainz 05), Popov (Dynamo Kiev); Sumulikoski (Sibir), Naumoski (Mattersburg), Demiri (Thun); Despotovski (Inter Baku); Pandev (Inter Milan), Trickovski (APOEL). Subs: Hasani (Shkendija) for Naumoski (10 mins), Durovski (Metalurg Donetsk) for Despotovski (57 mins), Savic (Pakhtakor) for Demiri (76 mins).
Referee: Florian Meyer (Germany)
