EDGY IRELAND ON COURSE

Walters strike keeps qualifying hopes alive

AYEAR to the day since Aiden McGeady’s last-gasp winner in Tbilisi, the Republic of Ireland again made things difficult for themselves before cracking the craggy crew from the Caucasus.

On an edgy night in Dublin, a mesmeric dribble from Jeff Hendrick in the 69th minute teed up a courageous finish by Jon Walters to keep Martin O’Neill’s men on track for the play-offs.

The introduction of Shane Long at half-time provided a second-half spur for Ireland who were shocking in the first 45 minutes and barely raised a gallop.

But this is a results-business, as O’Neill keeps stressing, and a sixpoint September haul paints an encouraging picture in Group D where Ireland are now four points in hand better off than the Scots.

As Germany silenced Gordon Strachan’s bravehearts to do Ireland a favour, O’Neill will know his team must improve drastically if they are to ruffle the world champions in Dublin next month.

If they play like this, they will be crushed underfoot.

After that comes a visit to goal-grabbing Poland in Warsaw where Ireland, improbably could yet be playing for second place.

Few would have put a bet on that happening after a dire opening 45 minutes where Ireland were pedestrian, predictable and lacking the vital ingredient associated with all Irish sides, passion.

No one thundered into a tackle, no one seized the game by the scruff of the neck. It was legless and, at times, clueless as the red Georgian wall held firm.

At one point in the first half, O’Neill raised his arms imploringly into the air, shook his head slightly, and headed back to his seat as if perplexed

It took 37 minutes to test the Georgian ‘keeper, Nukri Revishvili, when it should have taken 37 seconds.

But, bit by bit, Ireland found an extra gear, not that they ever hit fifth, and Walters’ most important goal for Ireland settled nerves in the Aviva Stadium.

There were bookings in quick succession for Glen Whelan and James McClean which rules them out of the Germany game, ensuring O’Neill will have to reshuffle – Whelan has been a vital cog.

On a night where the result will last longer in the mind than the performance, Seamus Coleman’s return provided one of the few brighter moments and Hendrick’s selection again paid off, but Robbie Keane suffered the ignominy of a half-time withdrawal.

With Coleman fit to start, O’Neill made only one change from the team which beat Gibraltar. It was the most experienced side O’Neill could have gone for with six players over 30, three of them centurions.

For one, Keane, it was a night he won’t treasure — taken off at halftime, unable to exert any influence. For Ireland’s greatest goalscorer and most capped player, the sands of time are running through the hour glass.

With the advantage of the high ground in Group D, Ireland should have sprung from the traps, and seized the initiative. It never happened. Instead, there were early signs of battle fatigue as they struggled to combat the canny Georgian formation, which included wingbacks and a compact defensive shield.

Robbie Brady was twice guilty of sloppy passes deep inside his own half, one of which led to a corner.

And the anxiety levels heightened when John O’Shea lost possession and Levan Mchedlidze, a bear of a forward, surged into the box.

It required a full-length block from Ciaran Clark to silence the alarms.

Ireland needed Coleman and Brady to get wide and deliver decent balls but the Georgian wing-backs were resolute.

As the half deepened, and word filtered through of goals aplenty at Hampden Park, there was finally a flicker of encouragement. From Wes Hoolahan’s left-sided cross, the ball cleared to Coleman, who took a touch and then steered a rising half volley which Revishili touched over.

Not for the first time in this doubleheader, a right-back showed Ireland the way to goal. It was the spark the hosts needed as they staged a flurry of plucky attacks which barely measured a ripple of concern to the indomitable Georgians.

The arrival of Long provided an instant impetus as he freed Coleman on the right. It was the right-back who was Ireland’s most, if not only, potent threat.

In the 57th minute, he cut in from his station and stabbed towards goal. It was his, and Ireland’s second effort on target. Stirred, Ireland found an ounce of zip.

Whelan and Hendrick both found the range from distance as the tempo was raised.

Walters went close with a header, James McCarthy blazed over and then had a miscue from the edge of the box. From somewhere, the team in green had found a frisson of the spirit O’Neill relies on.

And then, just past the mid-way point of the half, came the breakthrough.

It was fashioned by a slalom run from Hendrick who cut in from the left and crossed for Walters to execute a crucial touch with the outside of his right foot.

It was not unlike John O’Shea’s goal in Gelsenkirchen and just as precious.

One-nil should have been two when Whelan and McClean combined to tee up Long but his near-post finish was off cue and Georgia survived.

In stoppage time, McClean drew a fine one-handed stop from Revishili.

With two games to go, it’s advantage Ireland — just.

Coleman was Ireland’s most potent threat