Curtis to rescue for Noel lads
a start and give ourselves a chance. Next month there might be one or two fitter lads back but if not we’ll soldier on. But we need to improve, obviously. We can improve in just about every aspect.”
Not least in midfield where Ireland have struggled to gain a foothold of late. Hendrick and Hourihane were anonymous on Thursday.
Often, O’neill is damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t. Better football is desirable but the wheels tend to come off when they try it.
The up and at ‘em approach isn’t remotely pleasing on the eye but O’neill has delivered some of Irish football’s biggest nights playing that way.
As with most things in life, the solution is often somewhere in the middle. Quizzed on the workrate of his team in Cardiff, O’neill said: “I take your point entirely about closing players down. We have to close down in a pack, not just one or two. Some of the goals we conceded were really avoidable.”
O’neill continued: “I’m not here to be talking about players letting us down. Some of them have done brilliantly for their country and for me over the years.
“We gave the ball away unnecessarily and that causes problems. Jeff Hendrick made a crossfield pass for Gareth Bale’s goal. He’s given a crossfield pass – that’s fine. He got caught out and maybe he should have played it square but he’s tried the little pass through.
“It’s come from an almost left-back position and they scored within 10 or 15 seconds. We should do better all over the pitch to nullify that.
“And certainly to stop Bale from coming on to his left foot – his favourite left foot – and getting a challenge in and knowing where he’s going.
“You have to send top class players down the way you want them to go, rather than the way they’re coming in. We know this but it’s executing it.” The roles were reversed in this one as England, who hadn’t made the 1974 World Cup finals, gave the Scots, who had, a masterclass, with Gerry Francis scoring twice and David Johnson, Kevin Beattie
I’m not here to be talking about players letting us down...some of them have done brilliantly for their country and me over the years
Kosovo U21 1 Republic of Ireland
1
A WORRYING TREND
England goalkeeper Ray Clemence was left red-faced when he allowed a tame-looking effort from Kenny Dalglish, soon to be his club-mate at Liverpool, to trickle through
bright but what they need is time to STEPHEN WARD claims Ireland must find their feet at this level. I’m get ‘back to basics’ to get after confident that that will come in time.” Thursday’s Nations League drubbing in Ward was swift to praise the class of Wales. Wales, in particular their talisman It was a 50th cap to forget for the Gareth Bale.
This defeat hastened Don Revie’s Having missed the World Cup left-back as he was part of a defence
departure from the England play-off job, and decider had between the nations clinically exposed during a 4-1 defeat.
the Scots dreaming they could last October win the though injury, the Real The 33-year-old injured his foot
1978 World Cup under Ally Madrid Macleod. attacker The was revved up and early in the game and eventually had
Scottish fans famously celebrated buried a by stellar second goal by cutting to be substituted midway through in
ripping up the Wembley pitinchpanstdward and Ciaran Clark before the second half.
The Burnley man hadn’t been curling a shot beyond Darren Randolph. part of the Ireland squad since a “I’m not making excuses but we’ve similar disaster, the 5-1 defeat to come away to Wales and they’ve been Denmark in last November’s brilliant,” he pointed out. “They have a World Cup play-off. world class player in Bale who is on the
For a team that had conceded top of his game at the minute. only six goals in their previous 10 “Especially when going 1-0 down, competitive games, allowing nine you try and get back in it but it just to sweep past them in the last didn’t happen for us. two is a real worry. “That’s how their third goal from
Ireland are soon back in action Aaron Ramsey came about. I was next month when they welcome both forward on an attack up the left and Denmark and Wales to Dublin. they broke from a misplaced pass.
Ward has pleaded for “Unfortunately, when teams patience from the public on like that turn over possession Martin O’neill’s new-look – with players like Bale side. controlling things – they’re
“This is a transition going to punish you.” period with a lot of new Ward has offered his full young lads coming through so support to Martin O’neill and we’ve got to get back to basics,” Roy Keane (inset), despite two stressed the Dubliner who had a scan competitive pastings on the trot and a on his foot injury yesterday. row between Harry Arter and Keane
“I can’t put my finger on exactly which led to the midfielder withdrawing what happened to us. We need to be from the squad. back being hard to beat again. That “We’ve got a great relationship with was the type of team we were known them. We’ve had a very successful as. Everyone in the dressing room time when you think of the Euros and plays with pride, wanting to play for coming close to qualifying for the their country and do well. World Cup.
“But, for whatever reason, things “I don’t see any question around aren’t going well for us at the minute. that. We lost very experienced players Hopefully we can change that. The and the new group need time to settle newer lads coming in are fresh and and get used to playing at this level.” NOEL KING is still backing his Ireland side to reach next year’s U21 European Championship finals despite drawing in Mitrovica last night.
In-form striker Ronan Curtis snatched a draw against an improving Kosovo side with his goal eight minutes from time.
The Portsmouth forward – recently recruited from Derry City – controlled a long ball on the left before cutting inside on to his favoured right foot and drilling a shot beyond Florjan Smakiqi.
Florjan Hasani had opened the scoring for the hosts on 65 minutes.
The Hungary-based midfielder connected with Larim Kastrati’s left-wing low cross to beat Kieran O’hara from eight yards.
The result means King’s
GROUP 5 side will likely have to beat Germany in one of their duels over the last three games.
The European champions first visit Tallaght Stadium on Tuesday before the sides meet again in October.
“This Kosovo side had already drawn with Germany and beaten Norway so it was important to get something from the game,” King said.
“Both teams went for the win which left us exposed to the counter-attack but we finished stronger after equalising and did enough to win the match in the end.”
After Curtis had cancelled out the opener, Harry Charsley was denied a late winner from close-range by a one-handed save by Smakiqi.
Curtis and Ryan Sweeney are both suspended for Tuesday’s game.
REMAINING IRISH GAMES