Long gives the Ireland carnival a head start
IT WAS the first time in 24 years that Republic of Ireland supporters had gathered to bid farewell to their team before a European Championship, so there was a carnival atmosphere among the 37,100-strong Dublin crowd long before Shane Long broke the deadlock with a decisive header.
Ireland’s most impressive players were wingers James McClean and Aiden McGeady.
Sunderland livewire McClean quickly established himself as a firm favourite among supporters, even though it was his first start for the Republic.
There was an expectant buzz around the Aviva Stadium every time he touched the ball and in the opening half he was certainly Ireland’s best player.
As if to respond to McClean’s quality, Spartak Moscow’s McGeady came off the bench and gave manager Giovanni Trapattoni a timely reminder of what he could do on the flanks, too.
Bosnia and Herzegovina were favoured as opponents for this warm-up friendly ahead of the Euro 2012 finals because they play in a similar manner to Croatia, one of Ireland’s opponents in a tough Group C that also comprises Spain and Italy.
Bosnia’s captain, the Germanborn Zvjezdan Misimovic, occupied a deep midfield role, similar to that of Tottenham’s Luka Modric when he plays for Croatia. But it was Vedad Ibisevic, partnering Manchester City’s Edin Dzeko, who caused the early problems for the Irish defence, while McClean was causing consternation for the Bosnians.
In the eighth minute, the winger sent over an inviting cross from the left but Boris Pandza beat Damien Duff to the ball and headed clear. Shortly after, the Republic felt they should have had a penalty when Glenn Whelan collided with Stoke team-mate Asmir Begovic in the Bosnian goal. Swiss referee Nikolaj Haenni ignored the appeals, as he did a moment later when Dzeko’s shot seemed to come off the arm of Paul McShane in the other box.
Shortly after, McClean beat two players to set up Darron Gibson, who unleashed a shot that was always off target. The game then went very quiet but for a Miralem Pjanic long-range effort in the 39th minute.
Two of Ireland’s old-timers, Robbie Keane and Duff, combined sweetly in the 44th minute but Fulham veteran Duff tried to smash the ball through Begovic, rather than placing it. From the resultant corner, defender Darren O’Dea rose brilliantly to connect with McClean’s cross only for Begovic to save again.
McClean was tried for a spell on the right wing in the second half, after McGeady replaced Duff at half-time — and the Spartak winger almost got on the scoresheet two minutes after the resumption, but his volley following Keane’s cushioned header came off a post.
It needed a little bit of magic from McGeady to break the deadlock. The winger, who has recently been criticised by Roy Keane for not working hard enough on his final ball, sent a superb floated cross to Long in the 77th minute and the West Bromwich striker only needed to connect to score.
Two minutes later, McGeady released Jonathan Walters but fantastic goalkeeping from Begovic denied his Stoke colleague.
The keeper was at his best again in the final minute when he clawed Long’s goalbound-header away.