O’Neill in rare company after joining the 50 club

UNLIKE the gift for a wedding anniversary, the 50th game for Martin O’Neill as Republic of Ireland manager was anything but golden as his team were scorched by the dragons of Wales.

Of the four Ireland managers who had experienced more than half a century of games, O’Neill was the first to lose his landmark game.

Jack Charlton, still the longest serving manager with 94 games, was the first to hit ‘50’ in May, 1991, when Ireland hosted Chile in a friendly at Lansdowne Road.

It was half-way through the 1992 European Championship qualifiers and memorable for the debut of Roy Keane. Ireland fell behind just past the hour but David Kelly headed an 81st minute equaliser in front of 32,320 fans.

Ten years later, McCarthy’s 50th game briefly threatened to be the mother of all upsets as Ireland fell behind to Andorra in a World Cup qualifier in Dublin.

Remember Ildefons Lima? He scored with a header in the 32nd minute for the filter-feeders of football from the Pyrenees.

In fairness, Ireland replied with two goals inside four minutes from Kevin Kilbane and Mark Kinsella to restore order. Gary Breen later added a third.

There was a greater scare for Giovanni Trapattoni’s 50th international in charge which saw Ireland travel to far off Kazakhstan for the first time, for a World Cup qualifier in September, 2012.

The team were still carrying the scars of Euro 2012 and trailed late on to the mystery men in Astana.

In a dramatic ending, Robbie Keane was fouled for a penalty in the 89th minute which he converted. Kevin Doyle then volleyed home a last-gasp winner as Ireland pinched victory.

O’Neill has won 19 games out of 50, which is a success rate of 38 per cent. In comparison, Charlton won 47 games out of 94 for a 50 per cent strike rate, while McCarthy won 43 per cent of his games, and Trapattoni 41 per cent.

Shock: Mick McCarthy’s side fell behind to Andorra during his landmark game. Kevin Kilbane helped Ireland into the lead before Gary Breen later put the gloss on a 3-1 win

Outclassed: Martin O’Neill’s team were run ragged by a Gareth Bale-inspired Wales side in Cardiff, falling to a limp 4-1 defeat in the Derry man’s 50th game in charge of Ireland

Milestone: Jack Charlton hit the half-century mark against Chile at Lansdowne Road. The game, which saw the debut of Roy Keane, ended 1-1 after David Kelly grabbed an equaliser

Struggle: Giovanni Trapattoni endured a torrid night against Kazakhstan in Astana. A late Robbie Keane penalty, followed by a Kevin Doyle winner, snatched an unlikely 2-1 victory