Relieved Seamus saves the Irish with a little luck

IT was a scruffy goal to mask an ugly and untidy performance but captain Seamus Coleman rescued the Republic of Ireland in a match they simply had to win.

Even one point looked unlikely following the most uninspiring half of O’Neill’s tenure but new captain Coleman saved his side by scoring his first international goal in his 40th appearance.

‘It’s a special feeling to score for your country,’ said Coleman.

‘It’s an amazing feeling and it’s been a long time coming.’

Georgia’s Valeri Kazaishvili should have opened the scoring when free inside the area on 17 minutes but blasted wide.

That Ireland didn’t concede during the first half owed much to good fortune. Playmaker Tornike Okriashvili was by far the standout performer for Georgia and it was from his cross that Levan Mchedlidze headed against the bar. Ireland failed to clear and captain Guram Kashia returned a header which hit the post.

Ireland were again lucky to remain on terms when Kazaishvili beat Coleman, only to fire straight at keeper Darren Randolph.

If O’Neill didn’t tear into his sorry side at the break, then assistant Roy Keane surely would have done.

Either way, they emerged a far more purposeful proposition.

Within 11 minutes, they were in front. Coleman tried to play a onetwo with team-mate Jon Walters but instead saw the ball ricochet off two defenders before somehow finding himself with an open goal, duly tapping in from one yard.

It might have been two when James McClean’s drive escaped the grasp of Giorgi Loria before the keeper recovered to claim on the line.

In the end, Coleman’s goal was all Ireland needed — and how badly they needed it.