Failure to close out the game haunts us

Wales 2 Republic of Ireland 2We may flatter ourselves with the notion that Irish fans are the best in the world but to judge by the second-half performance of the 6,000 or so who travelled to Cardiff on Saturday, we could well have the most easily pleased.

In a corner of the desperately cold and sparsely-populated Millennium Stadium they celebrated the Kevin Doyle goal that handed Ireland a temporary lead as if it would mean a place at next summer's European Championship finals.

With little at stake and the last month's dissatisfaction with Steve Staunton out of their collective system, even when the inevitable occurred and a late equaliser was conceded, they took it in good spirits. So, if the Republic's next manager was tuning in to size things up, he may not have thought too much of the players but one suspects he'll have been rather taken with the punters.

Afterwards, there were the, by now, traditional expressions of bewilderment by the departing team members as to how yet another lead had been surrendered. The answer was much the same as always, the Irish failed to take their chances to put the game beyond their opponents and then allowed their minds to wander just the wrong side of the final whistle. Wherever he watched the game, Staunton might well have taken some comfort from the evidence provided that these players do not need to have him in the vicinity to blow a promising position.

It should be noted, however, that the Welsh were worth their point. Despite having just four Premier League players on the pitch for most of the afternoon, they made the brighter start, led early on and showed a fair amount of determination to hang in there while the Irish put them under a great deal of pressure at 2-1.

As the qualities required of the next Ireland manager continued to dominate conversation in the visiting camp, Wales manager John Toshack showed the value of experience. His players may have less talent than their opponents but they were well organised and went out with a decent game plan. With Craig Bellamy injured, the manager opted to play with just one striker and use the extra man in midfield instead.

The result proved positive with Andy Reid having nothing like the time or space he had enjoyed to weigh up options even against Germany. Lee Carsley also found life a little difficult at times and didn't have one of his better games but it was the home side's success in preventing his midfield partner from co-ordinating Ireland's play that was most significant.

While Liam Miller proved ineffective on one side, Aiden McGeady might have had a better night had he enjoyed the sort of service provided to Andy Keogh at Croke Park last month. After a hugely promising start, though, the young Celtic winger failed to make the impact manager Don Givens had hoped for and it was not until Stephen Hunt arrived on the hour that Ireland's flanks really came alive.

By then the two sides had long since exchanged the game's first two goals. Jason Koumas, easily the best of the locals, gave the Welsh the lead after 23 minutes by finishing a tidy move he had also started with a wonderfully executed header. Steve Finnan was twice outwitted by Joe Ledley in the build-up while the rest of the Irish defence somehow managed to encircle the goalscorer without actually marking him.

The equaliser was impressive too, however, with Robbie Keane making the most of his opportunity when sent racing clear by Kevin Doyle. Under pressure from James Collins, the Irish captain timed his shot perfectly to beat Wayne Hennessey and bag his first goal in an overseas qualifier since the 2-2 draw in Amsterdam seven years and two months ago.

Overall, Keane, like Doyle, did well but Kevin Kilbane's performance was a reminder that left back really isn't his position and neither centre-half excelled. John O'Shea, however, did his best to organise things as Paul McShane found himself more than once requiring a little luck to get by. Before the opening goal both got off lightly when Ledley completely failed to make contact with a shot that momentarily looked a certain goal but for the younger man worse was to come.

In a low-key game there were good chances at both ends but only intermittent outbreaks of any quality football in between. Hunt's introduction, though, livened things up dramatically.

With his first taste of action he provided the cross that Doyle nudged into the bottom right corner to put Ireland in front and for the next 10 minutes he injected a much needed sense of fun into the proceedings by chasing down every ball, harrying defenders and producing a couple of wonderfully brash flicks. His celebration of the goal in front of the hugely appreciative Irish fans, was tremendous and the only pity was that he didn't round off such an explosive spell by finding the net himself.

One of the Irish should have done. Keane, McGeady and Doyle all had good chances during Ireland's best period of the game but none managed to hit the target. Inevitably, the slenderness of the lead left the Welsh with hopes of grabbing something and as the game moved into the 90th minute they did just that when, after Reid's departure Hunt under-hit a corner from the right and McShane suddenly found himself chasing back after a long ball beside David Cotterill.

For most of the time the pair were clearly tugging at each other but the Irishman failed to deal with the situation decisively outside the area and as they moved into it his opponent went down, apparently after a slight push to his shoulder and the Ukrainian referee pointed to the spot.

Television replays were inconclusive but there were few protests and Shay Given admitted afterwards that he felt at the time the spot kick, which Koumas put away confidently, was probably justified.

It was, as just about every player observed afterwards, like Ireland's entire campaign had been neatly summed up in 90 minutes of football. Dejected, the players wandered away to mull over another squandered opportunity.

Behind them, the fans sang on.

WALES:Hennessey (Wolves); Eardley (Oldham), Collins (West Ham), Gabbidon (West Ham), Gunter (Cardiff City); Davies (Fulham), Fletcher (Crystal Palace), Koumas (Wigan Athletic), Robinson (Toronto), Ledley (Cardiff City); Eastwood (Wolves). Subs:Edwards (Luton Town) for Robinson (38 mins), Easter (Wycombe Wanderers) for Eastwood (59 mins), Cotterill (Wigan Athletic) for Eardley (81 mins).

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND:Given (Newcastle United); Finnan (Liverpool), McShane (Sunderland), O'Shea (Manchester United), Kilbane (Wigan Athletic); Miller (Sunderland), Carsley (Everton), Reid (Charlton Athletic), McGeady (Celtic); Doyle (Reading), Keane (Tottenham Hotspur). Subs:Hunt (Reading) for Miller (60 mins), Potter (Wolves) for Reid (87 mins).

Referee: O Oriekhov(Ukraine).