So that’s that ... Ireland pick up crucial points, score some goals, lift a bit of the pressure. A night to remember for James McClean and Adam Idah. Mikey Johnston made the difference after coming on, a promising showing from Jason Knight and Evan Ferguson too, some nice football played, but much bigger tests await.
Match report and reaction from the Aviva are incoming. Keep your eye on the homepage for those.
Thanks for joining us!
FT Ireland 3 Gibraltar 0
Elsewhere France beat Greece to leave the group looking like ...
Jason Knight, man of the match: “This was the only way we could respond, with a good comprehensive win. Looking forward to the next camp now. We were well prepared and today we showed up. These teams are going to come here and sit in and I think we were patient and came out in the second half and really upped it a gear. It’s a good day all round.”
FT Ireland 3 Gibraltar 0 Ireland pick up their first points of the qualifying campaign. A respectable result. A dominant performance, a little pressure lifted.
Ireland 3 Gibraltar 0 (91′) GOAL!! Idah’s first goal for his country! A free header, another assist for McClean. Well deserved for the Norwich striker who always puts in an honest shift and has had a really tough time with injuries!
Three minutes added on. Ireland have lost the bit of creativity they had with Knight and Ferguson involved. Everything is looking very flat since their departure and reliant on crosses again.
Ireland 2 Gibraltar 0 (84′) Back to back corners are well defended by the visitors. Ireland looking short on ideas for a third and Gibraltar looking out on their feet.
Adam Idah and Jeff Hendrick replace Ferguson and Jason Knight.
Ferguson gets in front of the defender and makes good contact with his header but it’s well saved by the Gibraltar goalkeeper.
Ireland 2 Gibraltar 0 (80′) Cullen plays it back to McClean who from point blank range is denied a goal by a heroic diving tackle by the Gibraltar central defender. So close for the captain on his 100th cap.
Ireland work it from side to side outside of the box before Cullen picks out Johnston with a bit more of a risky pass. The latter again takes it on, pushes the ball past his man and has a go. It’s wide of the goal but again, excellent play by the substitute. And good to see Cullen taking on that bit more of a risky pass from time to time.
Ireland 2 Gibraltar 0 (75′) Heading into the final 15 minutes and the game has become very scrappy, the fans are urging Ireland on to grab another goal or two.
Johnston runs at two Gibraltar defenders, twists and turns them inside out before crossing it in. It’s headed back out to him, and it’s sent back in where Jamie McGrath is just about beaten to the ball by the goalkeeper’s fist. A little braver there and he’d have a goal and a sore head.
Ireland are playing into feet much more this half, Parrott spins off Ferguson and has a shot that’s well saved. But it’s asking more questions of the Gibraltar defence than just cross after cross. Johnston then shoots from the edge of the box and the goalkeeper spills it but flicks it away before Parrott gets there.
Ireland 2 Gibraltar 0 (60′) Ireland work it from right to left, with Ferguson involved. It’s played out to McClean, with Johnston making space for him with a little stepover and pass, and the Irish captain for the night whips it in for Ferguson to head into the bottom corner. GOAL!!
Troy Parrott is on for Obafemi. Ireland have not really kicked on from the goal but the visitors are visibly tiring.
Ireland 1 Gibraltar 0 (51′) GOAL!!! Hand ball just outside the box as Ferguson’s little dink pass is cut out. Smallbone’s free-kick comes off the wall and drops in front of Johnston for an open goal!
Johnston links up with Obafemi and then Smallbone, before his shot is deflected out for a corner. O’Shea and Egan both smash into each other at the back post attacking a good delivery.
The second half is underway. Mikey Johnston is on for Nathan Collins as Ireland go to a back four.
HT Ireland 0 Gibraltar 0 You could hear a pin drop as the teams head in at half-time. Ireland dominated possession, Ferguson and Obafemi both had chances and Jamie McGrath had two shots well saved, but there’s been no goals against the team ranked 201 in the world. Ireland don’t need to panic, Gibraltar are camped in their own area so it’s not been easy, but they certainly need to step it up in the second half and start really attacking those crosses.
Three minutes of first half injury time announced.
Ireland 0 Gibraltar 0 (43′) After a stoppage in play for a Gibraltar injury, Obafemi plays it to Ferguson who holds it up on the edge of the box and lays it off to McGrath but his well struck effort is palmed out for a corner. Which the visitors head clear. Ireland losing those aerial battles time and time again in the Gibraltar box.
Smallbone’s cross is cut out, McClean takes the ball for the corner. It’s a good delivery, it’s flicked by McGrath at the front post but goes across goal. Nathan Collins dives out at the back post to put it back into the bodies, but no luck for Ireland and Gibraltar lump it clear once more.
Smallbone’s free kick is easily gathered by the goalkeeper. 36 minutes gone.
Ireland 0 Gibraltar 0 (35′) A good little turn and go by Obafemi but with options on both sides he gets the ball caught in his feet on the edge of the box. Knight then chips in a cross to Ferguson but McClean attacks it, gets there first and heads wide. The Irish captain wins a free-kick and forces a yellow card from the next attack down the left flank.
This time McGrath and McClean combine down the left, the former’s cross is deflected but still flies into a dangerous area. It’s cleared for a corner, which Gibraltar defend well. From the following attack McClean knocks it past his man and crosses it in, Ferguson gets there before the goalkeeper and defender but it’s flicked well wide. Another big chance.
Kinight fakes a cross and passes it through to Obafemi, he drills it across goal but it’s well defended. This game is turning into an attacking training drill for Ireland. 25 minutes gone.
Ireland 0 Gibraltar 0 (23′) Cullen, Knight and Smallbone make some space for the Burnley midfielder who sends in a good cross to the front post but it misses McGrath’s head by inches. Ferguson then shoots from the outside of the box but it’s well judged and easily gathered by the goalkeeper.
Ireland counter from a Gibraltar free-kick, Smallbone’s pass down the line is well paced for Knight (they’re combining well). The latter whips in a lovely low cross which goes under the defender’s leg and then between Michael Obafemi’s. A good chance wasted.
Smallbone gets caught under a well floated cross. It’s worked back across to Dara O’Shea who shoots from the edge of the box but it bounces into the goalkeeper’s hands.
Ireland 0 Gibraltar 0 (15′) Knight’s cross is deflected out for a corner. The first of the game. It’s whipped in but goes right through the box and bounces out of play. Somehow.
An attempted through ball by Josh Cullen to Evan Ferguson is cut out by a diving interception. John Egan is dealing with the long ball tactic of Gibraltar early on, their other tactic appears to be time wasting. 14 minutes gone.
Smallbone and Knight combine down the right but the former has two crosses well dealt with by the visiting defence. McClean then sends in a high hanging cross from the other wing but it’s gathered by the goalkeeper.
Ireland 0 Gibraltar 0 (5′) The visitors have a bit of the ball after a lively opening two minutes for Ireland. The hosts are working it out wide but the subsequent deliveries into the box haven’t been great so far.
Ireland 0 Gibraltar 0 (1′) Game on! Ireland start brightly and work it out wide to Jason Knight who makes space for himself with a little stepover before sending in a low cross. Jamie McGrath meets it first time but it’s straight at the goalkeeper.
James McClean and his family are on the pitch receiving a special presentation for his 100th cap tonight. He will captain the team here. The Derry native never gives less than one hundred per cent in green and has scored some crucial goals over the years! A big atmosphere here in Dublin with the crowd backing Kenny and his young team as always.
Stephen Kenny pre-match: “I think we are happy with the team we have. It’s a quite technical team but nobody gives you anything. Gibraltar made it difficult for France and the Netherlands, you have to work hard to create the opportunities and take the opportunities and pass the ball quickly and make the openings.”
The Irish manager confirms the team will start with three centre backs but doesn’t explain the overall formation, he says Jason Knight has played at right wing back several times this season for his club.
[ Ireland under-21s walk off pitch after “racist remark”Opens in new window ]
More on the news mentioned earlier above, when the Ireland’s Under-21 international against Kuwait was abandoned after a racist remark was made by a Kuwaiti player towards one of the Irish substitutes.
Ireland make four changes with Michael Obafemi replacing Adam Idah up top. Jason Knight appears to be filling in for the suspended Matt Doherty at right wing back, and Jamie McGrath also comes into the team. Dara O’Shea starts in defence.
Below is the Gibraltar team ...
Ireland starting team: Bazunu; Collins, Egan, O’Shea; Knight, Cullen, McGrath, McClean; Smallbone; Obafemi, Ferguson.
“The lack of respect at times at press conferences shouldn’t be tolerated, do you know what I mean? It’s absolutely terrible at times.”
— Stephen Kenny at his pre-match press conference
[ Stephen Kenny accuses journalist of ‘absolutely terrible’ disrespectOpens in new window ]
Republic of Ireland v Gibraltar
Monday, Aviva Stadium, 7.45pm (live on RTÉ Two)
Group table:
Head to head: This is the fifth meeting of these two teams, with Ireland winning all previous contests by a combined score of 14-0. Although the last meeting was just a 2-0 win in Dublin which followed a 1-0 in Gibraltar.
Group fixtures: 27/3 - Republic of Ireland 0 France 1
16/6 - Greece 2 Republic of Ireland 1
19/6 - Republic of Ireland v Gibraltar
07/9 - France v Republic of Ireland
10/9 - Republic of Ireland v Netherlands
13/10 - Republic of Ireland v Greece
16/10 - Gibraltar v Republic of Ireland
18/11 - Netherlands v Republic of Ireland
It’s a big night for James McClean, set to win his 100th cap and become just the seventh Irish player to do so - Damien Duff (100 caps), Steve Staunton (102), Kevin Kilbane (110), John O’Shea (108), Shay Given (134) and Robbie Keane (146) ...
Meanwhile, the FAI has confirmed today’s Under-21 international against Kuwait has been abandoned after a racist remark was made by a Kuwaiti player towards one of the Irish substitutes. “The FAI does not tolerate any racism towards any of our players or staff and will be reporting this serious matter to Fifa and Uefa.” More on this incoming on the homepage.
A look back on the Greece game then...
“A team selection that didn’t work and had to be changed at half-time, supposed stalwarts crumbling under pressure, our great attacking hope struggling at the periphery, unable to get into the forget, all capped off with a red card at the end for one of the most experienced players in the squad. Neither players nor coach emerge with any credit.”
Check out Ken Early’s reaction to that defeat to Greece in full here
A repeat performance of last Friday’s collective malaise against Gibraltar, never mind a failure to secure three points, might prompt FAI chief executive Jonathan Hill to act. That Lee Carsley, the former Ireland midfielder and current England under-21 manager, is being widely mentioned as a potential replacement for Kenny must be heaping enormous pressure on the inhabitants of the Castleknock Hotel
Check out Gavin Cummiskey’s preview here
Hello and welcome ... Stephen Kenny’s Ireland team host Gibraltar tonight in the third game of their Euro 2024 Group B qualifying campaign. So far Ireland are on zero points after two games, ahead of tonight’s visitors only on goal difference. The home defeat to France in March was diluted by a promising display, but last Friday’s 2-1 defeat to Greece has piled the pressure on manager Stephen Kenny. Nothing less than a comfortable win tonight will do against the team ranked 201st in the world.
Kick-off at the Aviva Stadium is at 7.45pm.
We’ll keep you up to date with all the build-up, and action as it unfolds. Keep in touch via the comments section or on Twitter (@DonoghueEamon) but for now, let’s get started!
