Challenge will be tough but hurdles are there to test us
I HAVE been itching for this clash to come around - it’s going to be an enthralling contest. Both teams had a good European Championships, but without a doubt we have started the mission to get to Russia a lot better – and without even getting into full stride. Two weeks ago I felt we were in such a good place in terms of how the squad was performing at club level. Shane Duffy and Ciaran Clark were cemented in the two outstanding sides of the Championship, Harry Arter was a consistent performer for Bournemouth team and Wes Hoolahan was just simply being Wes. We are now without all these key players through injury, not to mention the newly crowned FAI Player of the Year in Robbie Brady. This encounter was already going to be a huge test in our quest to make the World Cup finals. Martin O’neill will have devised a plan to try and beat the Welsh tonight – and now some of the vital cogs in that aren’t involved. But I still have faith in us to win this match. Yes, important players are missing, but let’s not forget the performances by some of the fringe players in the last couple of seasons – David Meyler versus Germany at right back springs to mind. And Shane Duffy was a fringe player until he made his mark a year ago in the March friendlies to guarantee his place in France. Martin is very capable of throwing a curve ball with team selection and I’m dying to find out who he opts for – especially in central midfield, with James Mccarthy fighting for fitness. Unless he’s seen something he really likes in training in the last few days, he’ll go with Glen Whelan, Meyler and Jeff Hendrick – Jeff possibly on the right hand side. I’ve seen a lot of Conor Hourihane (left) in the last couple of seasons and he has vastly improved. He was known as a player with a sweet left foot and sublime set piece delivery but he has now added the other components to be a more complete midfielder – mainly on the defensive side. Aiden Mcgeady is absolutely flying at Preston North End with the rest of our Irish contingent. He has to be in the reckoning and we know he’s a player that Martin does like. He could well play him on one side with James Mcclean on the other, and then a strong three man midfield.
It’s positive of late that Jon Walters has played a couple of matches for Stoke since returning from injury. He’s such an important player and he will start. Will Martin go with Shane Long alongside him, will he go with Mcclean or opt to play Jon on his on up there? Let’s be clear, the pressure is on Wales more than us as we sit on top of the Group D table with a four-point gap. A draw would be a good result tonight for us as there are still a lot of twists to come in this group – and with the injury profile that we must try to overcome.