Ireland ride their luck as late goals add gloss

Getting back on the horse is a damn sight easier when the old steed crouches down to meet you.

The Republic of Ireland probably weren't full value for their 4-1 win here last night and the United States will play worse on other occasions and come away with better results.

But some sketchy defending handed the home side goals at crucial points in the evening and what ought to have been a coin-flip turned into a gold-rush.

On balance, you'd imagine Martin O'Neill would have preferred the splash of fortune last Friday night in Glasgow. With 10 minutes left on the clock and Ireland just about worth their 2-1 lead, Shay Given hung out a leg to repel Greg Garza. It was his second excellent save of the night and Ireland needed every bit of it.

Deflected shot

Just 90 seconds later, they were 3-1 up as James McClean’s deflected shot squirted past Bill Hamid down the other end. Soon after, McClean was fouled on the edge of the American box and

Robbie Brady

curled a peach into the top corner.

It sent a 33,332 crowd home with a springier step than looked likely for much of the evening.

“It was nice to get a win. I thought America really came into the game after we went ahead in the first half and they probably deserved to be level. But we were excellent in the second half. And I think Brady was outstanding.

“I think that Robbie himself would say that the way he sees the game as a left-back, he has it all in front of him. He has a lot to work on defensively. But he is an excellent player, he really thinks about the game really well. And the confidence he has, I knew he would score that free-kick. Easy for me to say now of course but he was having that type of night.”

For a fair chunk of the night, we looked to the singing section behind the low goal for entertainment. The campaign that had built since before the Scotland game to protest about the FAI found its voice and a sustained chorus of lusty contempt for chief executive John Delaney hummed throughout.

On a scale of One to Water Charge Demo, it was probably about a five.

There was a bit of a kerfuffle early in the first half when stewards and gardaí waded in to fussily confiscated a banner, apparently bearing the message “Delaney – Godfather of Greed”. The supporters had more success in the second half when another banner – this one saying “Failures And Liars” – got a repeated airing without any crackdown from the authorities.

On the pitch, we got acquainted with some new Ireland players. David McGoldrick brought a couple of touches of long-lost craft as he ambled about at number 10. His pair of assists for the first two Irish goals shimmered with nuance, the first an outside-of-the-boot slide rule to send Anthony Pilkington in, the second a no-look backheel to find Robbie Brady six yards out.

He didn’t look overly interested in tracking back all that much – and it’s a fair bet that he’ll become the sort of player Irish fans love and despise in equal measure – but it was his first night so we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.

Added to which, Cyrus Christie had a terrific debut at right-back. Always willing on the front foot, muscular and capable when he had to defend, he looks a fine addition.

"It was a good move from Martin to give a lot of guys a chance," said Jurgen Klinsmann. "They are building towards the next qualifier in March. We were not surprised at the line-up and there was a lot of quality in that line-up. And a lot off the bench as well of course. But we controlled the first half I thought. We should have scored again in that first half. But we didn't do it, that was our problem.

“Obviously the result is disappointing. It was definitely an entertaining game, as we expected. We had enough chances. We had chances at the end of the first half and again in at the start of the second. But they got the second goal before we did and that was important.

‘Individual mistakes’

“They got the second and third goal because of individual mistakes. Those mistakes cost you this level. You won’t get away with that and they punished us. Then when younger players come and try to settle in, you can give away more goals and that’s what happened with a beautiful free-kick. But you want to help these younger players and give them experience and there will be some growing pains.”

The Americans aren't alone in that obviously. Ireland's growing pains are ongoing. Brady possibly put his hand up here as an option at left back but his defensive frailties are those of a man who's spent his career attacking. Stephen Quinn and David Meyler were solid around the middle but O'Neill sees both as being well down the pecking order.

Miles to go, then. But forward motion is nothing to be sniffed at.