A MOMENT of sophisticated skill by Romania's Adrian Ilie in Bucharest last evening ensured that a place in the play offs now represents the Republic of Ireland's only realistic chance of World Cup qualification.
Ilie's superb volley, struck with breathtaking precision from 20 yards in the 32nd minute, ensured that Romania fluent in their better moments, positively nasty when they came under pressure are now almost out of reach of the pursuing pack in Group Eight.
It could have been so much different if Roy Keane, assigned the unlikely role of penalty taker had extracted full retribution for a foul by goalkeeper Bogdan Stelea on Ray Houghton within two minutes of the second half.
Volunteers for the job vacated by the departed John Aldridge were thin on the ground before Keane walked across, placed the ball on the spot and then held his head in his hands after Stelea spread himself to his right to parry Keane's shot.
It was Ireland's second consecutive away defeat, but the more salient point perhaps is that this was probably one of our best away performances of the last two years.
An improbable team, with Ken Cunningham partnering tan Harte in central defence and David Connolly assuming responsibility as the only specialist forward was often quite magnificent as they blended professionalism with passion to bring the Romanians close to their first setback in the qualifying series.
Connolly, an audacious 19 year old who has spent much of the season in Watford's reserve team on those occasions when he was fit to play, caught the mood better than most with a contribution of verve and bravery which surely deserved a better return.
The old Steaua Stadium was only two thirds full and perhaps that was Just as well for with the exception oft Istanbul, there has been no more intimidating setting for an Irish team"in my experience. The crowd were in no mood to see their team beaten and at one point, when Ireland was, pressing for an equaliser approaching half time, a bottle was thrown on to the pitch.
Later, Ray Houghton was struck on the forehead by a coin thrown by a spectator in an appalling show of aggression and it remains to be seen how FIFA deal with these two incidents at a time when they are committed to ridding the game of violence.
Nor was the action down on the pitch as exemplary as officials would have hoped. Eight players five Romanians were shown the yellow card as tempers flared and studs showed in some frenetic action in either goalmouth.
The Dutch referee, Mario van Der Eldt, never shirked the unpopular decision, however, not least when he risked the anger of the crowd by penalising Stelea for that reckless tackle on Houghton.
It was an occasion to unnerve all but the most intrepid, but to their credit the Irish team's application was quite remarkable. Tackles were contested with both power and confidence and a tally of eight corners testified to the extent of the pressure they exerted on the Romanians in both halves.
If there was a downside to the display it was the confirmation of the lack of a midfield player with the creative skills to sort out the final pass. In this regard the loss of John Sheridan is proving significant and may yet weigh heavily on our hopes of going through to the finals for a third consecutive occasion.
In every other aspect, however, it was a night to reassure, not least in the manner in which Cunningham and Harte performed in shutting out a Romanian attack which had amassed 18 goals in their five earlier games in the series.
It is true that Harte's lack of experience showed in the indecisive header which gave Ilie the opportunity to illustrate his tremendous shooting power for the only goal, but otherwise this was a performance to reassure from the Leeds United youngster.
Alongside him Cunningham was even better. Reading the game with impressive perception, he was always at the heart of the action in the penalty area. On this performance, he deserves to keep his place in the starting line up.
Impressive also was the manner in which Steve Staunton dominated his flank and if Denis Irwin on the opposite wing had some moments of uncertainty, there was nothing wrong with the manner in which his half-time replacement Jeff Kenna came in to lend added weight to the team going forward.
Overall Mick McCarthy will be happy with his defence, but in spite of a better performance from skipper Andy Townsend, midfield is still not nearly the power it was in other times. Keane still prefers the low risk tactic of lateral distribution in situations demanding more ambition.
Houghton, after an uncertain start, grew in influence and if Mark Kennedy's performance went in the opposite direction after some splendid touches in the opening 15 minutes, he too was deserving of credit.
Yet, it was Connolly, radiating defiance, who best identified the new spirit of the Irish. He ought to have had a goal in the 18th minute after Dorinel Munteaunu's indiscreet back pass had given him a clear chance just six yards out. But in a situation in which he normally thrives he failed to direct the ball wide of the goalkeeper's body and a fine chance was lost.
Later, when he at last succeeded in knocking the ball past Stelea he had the anguish of seeing Daniel Trodan race back to make the goal line clearance.
Gheorghe Hage's expansive skills' lit up the stadium in the early stages, but his influence deteriorated subsequently and long before the end he had faded into anonymity.
The Romanians might have had a second goal in the 52nd minute when Gheorghe Popescu's free was deflected into the path of Veorel Moldovan. But Alan Kelly, who another sound perfomance, denied him from no more than four yards.
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