GREEN SHOOTS
The paint of the bar denies Ireland as Kenny’s men bag credible draw in Budapest stalemate
WITHOUT a win in 11 games before this window, Ireland go into September’s crunch clash with star-studded Portugal on the back of a three-match unbeaten run.
Nobody is going to lose the run of themselves on a slinky record stacked up in low-key friendlies against Qatar, Andorra and Hungary.
Stephen Kenny’s doubters won’t be racing to change their stance yet, not with six meaningful games and stiffer examinations of his young side coming down the tracks.
But heading for the Algarve in September, the more head-scratching questions will now focus on selection issues rather than the manager’s suitability for the job.
And not least between the posts where Gavin Bazunu and Caoimhin Kelleher – on debut – were both tremendous, pulling off three gamesaving saves between them.
Liverpool’s rising star Kelleher came on at the break but his quickfire saves late on made the difference on a night when Ireland were solid and steady, if unspectacular.
Kenny’s new-look attack only showed glimpses of what they are capable of yet Adam Idah, Daryl Horgan and, late on, Chiedozie Ogbene all made valuable contributions.
It just didn’t happen for Troy Parrott, who was the match-saving hero in Andorra, but that new blood in the final third played with conviction and will have a licence to thrill.
But facing Portugal, Kenny (right) has big calls to make in midfield as nobody here stepped forward to demand a shirt.
Josh Cullen was tidy linking the play centrally, but stopped short of dominating that midfield battle whereas Jayson Molumby added drive and purpose off the bench. Headaches of a different and welcoming sort for the manager to mull over this summer.
But what a dream start it could have been. John Egan’s thumping header from Cullen’s whipped free crashed off the crossbar while under strong pressure from Attila Fiola.
But it was a bright start all round. Hungary were restricted to shots from distance and only threatened just before half-time when Bazunu was at full stretch to keep out skipper Adam Szalai’s header.
From the follow up corner, Conor Hourihane hacked a Akos Kecskes header to safety.
Ireland’s passing up field could have been sharper and while not for any lack of effort, Parrott and Idah were rarely on the ball in threatming positions during that opening half.
Rather, a couple of meaty James Mcclean crosses from the left sparked panic in Hungarian ranks with Shane Duffy close to connecting with one of them at the near post.
Duffy endured a nightmare season on loan at Celtic and subsequently lost his place in this Ireland team but the big Derry man looked more like his old self here.
But while Ireland looked solid, they lacked penetration and Daryl
Horgan and Jayson
Molumby were introduced early in the second-half in the hope of adding creativity.
And after Kelleher
– on at the break – kept out Adam
Szalai’s effort at the near post, Horgan expertly collected a Mcclean ball over his shoulder to tee up Idah only for Willi Orban to pinch it off his toes close in.
Idah – heading back to the Premier League with Norwich City – grew nicely into the game and became more and more of a threat.
His low drive from outside the box, with Knight available to his right, was saved by Bogdan.
And the sub keeper later snuffed out a Mcclean header at the near post after a sweeping Irish move that involved Idah and a fine delivery from Knight, whose energy levels never seem to dip.
But anything Bazunu could do, Kelleher could do better and his sensational quick-fire saves late in the game kept Ireland right. First, the Liverpool youngster thwarted Adam Szalai with an acrobatic stretch and then pulled off a carbon copy minutes later to deny Attila Szalai in a crowded box when Ireland struggled to clear their lines.
Ogbene was a bright spark on his debut off the bench late on and might have reaped rewards had his decision making been better.
But his lively cameo encapsulated an Irish performance that offered a glimmer or two of hope for the future.