Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
IT’S GARET
Beaten at near post for two goals but had little protection
Arguably Ireland’s best player but that’s no badge of honour
Ireland’s most potent attacking outlet but struggled throughout
Poor for the opener, for Bale’s classy strike and just poor all round
On his toes with Bale and no answers for third and fourth goals
Surprise inclusion on the right wing but didn’t lack for heart
Bossed by 17-year-old Chelsea star Ampadu and lost ball for second
Wanted to take chance with Arter gone but failed to do so
Tidy player who put himself about but his team on different radar ONE of the striking aspects to the whole ‘Martin O’neill to Stoke’ saga was the complete indifference among Irish fans to whether the manager actually left.
There wasn’t a huge case made that the FAI should pull out all the stops to retain him. Far from it. And here we are again with the boss – not to mention his No 2 – under fire after a shambles for a second competitive game running. An eye-watering nine goals were shipped in those two games.
The absence through injury of James Mcclean, Shane Long, Robbie Brady, James Mccarthy, Sean Maguire, Scott Hogan and Alan Browne is a factor.
O’neill has said avoiding defeat would be a decent night’s work. But, just like the Denmark game, it was the manner of the defeat that was hard to comprehend. At 3-0, Wales were home and hosed by the break with Real Madrid star Gareth Bale and 17-yearold Chelsea prospect Ethan Ampadu running the show.
On their return to Cardiff – where Mcclean secured a playoff 11 months ago – Ireland were butchered by hosts who carried out Ryan Giggs’ instructions to the letter of the law on his competitive bow as boss.
Five minutes before half-time, giddy fans were urging the Manchester United legend to ‘give us a wave’, which he did. Early in the second-half – when 4-0 up – those same supporters aimed chants at Roy Keane asking ‘Keano, Keano what’s the score?’”
In contrast to Giggs, O’neill cut an agitated figure on the touchline in this his 50th game in charge. But other than a promising opening six minutes where his players looked to get forward, it was a feature length horror show.
Ireland face Poland in a Wroclaw friendly on Tuesday but it’s the Nations League double-header at home to Denmark and Wales next month where the heat will be turned up on O’neill and Keane, now five years in the gig.
Should results go badly, they will struggle to lead Ireland into the Euro 2020 qualifiers.
If Ireland qualify for the finals, they will be guaranteed at least two group games in Dublin as it is one of the host cities. Never before has there been such an incentive to reach a tournament and it’s one Ireland cannot squander.
O’neill wants to be the man to spearhead that charge but on this evidence in Cardiff, he’s on a sticky