GO FOR BROKE
O’Neill urges Ireland to take risks in crunch Austria clash
MARTIN O’NEILL has called on his Republic of Ireland players ‘to take risks’ as they seek to take a giant step towards World Cup qualification against Austria next Sunday.
O’Neill believes the timely 3-1 win over Uruguay in Dublin last night can act as a springboard for success for his team in the crunch Group D duel.
‘In a nutshell, we have to go forward against Austria. We don’t want to be sitting here regretting it.
‘We have to be on front foot for the game and take some risks,’ said O’Neill.
‘We’re at home, have the crowd on our side and have to win the game. It is important for them (Austria) but equally for us.’
After losing 3-1 to Mexico in New
ON A LAZY Bank Holiday Sunday evening in the Aviva Stadium, a more recognisable Ireland reclaimed the ground lost on their recent trans Atlantic trip.
Reverting to a familiar 4-5-1 formation, Martin O’Neill targeted this game as an opportunity ‘to visualise’ what might unfold against Austria next Sunday.
On that score, the Irish manager had reason to feel satisfied as his team bagged their first win of 2017 as the two-time world champions were scuttled by the Dodder.
Strikes from Jon Walters, Cyrus Christie and James McClean secured the scalp of the world’s 16th-ranked team as Ireland reversed the 3-1 loss to Mexico.
O’Neill gave 17 players a run yesterday and has used 24 in the past two games, so has a fair handle on who he will trust against Austria.
Of those with much to aim at yesterday, Harry Arter has surely sealed another World Cup start with an industrious 90-minute shift in the engine room where he snapped relentlessly into tackles and linked play adeptly.
The Bournemouth bantam edged the Man of the Match award over Cyrus Christie, who capped a fine attacking display with a left-footed goal early in the second half.
Christie now has twice as many goals as Seamus Coleman for a quarter of the caps, two to one.
As Shane Duffy again sharpened his match fitness, there was an intriguing contribution came from callow central defender, Kevin Long, who was given 90 minutes by O’Neill.
With Ciaran Clark injured, O’Neill has a gap to fill in the back four against Austria and while Long’s trial went well enough, he hasn’t sufficient experience for a huge World Cup qualifier on the back of just two friendly caps.
Either Richard Keogh or John O’Shea, both rested yesterday, will partner Duffy next Sunday.
Not everyone was foot perfect. Darren Randolph won’t like replays of Uruguay’s equaliser as he came for a free-kick in the 38th minute, but never arrived and allowed defender Jose Gimenez score off his shoulder.
Jeff Hendrick, shorn of locks, didn’t make the midfield imprint he’s capable of, while Aston Villabound Glenn Whelan, winning his 80th cap, felt his back flare up and was withdrawn at the break.
Of the six substitutes, boyish veteran Wes Hoolahan weaved his magic as the gaps opened up; Daryl Murphy moved more spryly than he did in New Jersey, while Kieren Westwood made an outstanding save when the score was 2-1 and may have given O’Neill a decision to make about his ’keeper.
Of them all, McClean illustrated his worth most with a cracking goal, almost identical to his winner in Vienna, to seal a muchneeded win.
It was McClean’s fourth goal in six games and no one deserved it more after his selfless act in skipping a holiday to make a 6,000mile round-trip to the States.
With nine Premier League players in the starting XI, Ireland went in front from Walters, an increasingly reliable provider of goals at the Aviva.
His right-foot curler into the top corner in the 28th minute, after a rare attacking fray by Whelan, was his 13th for Ireland and ninth under O’Neill.
Of those, eight have come at the Aviva.
The Irish captain should have added another just before the break after a fine move involving Christie and Robbie Brady. From three yards out, and the goal gaping in front of him, Walters directed the ball against the crossbar. It was one of the worst misses seen in the Aviva and Walters knew it as he held his shaven head in anguish. Thankfully, it mattered not a jot.
Level at the break, Ireland went in front for a second time when Hoolahan found Christie, who cut inside and watched gleefully as a left-foot daisy-cutter found the far corner.
It helped that Sebastian Coates, whom Liverpool paid £8m for, managed a fresh air attempted clearance.
After Westwood’s fine save in the 68th minute, which followed uncertainty in the Irish defence from a Uruguay free-kick, McClean wrapped up the game three minutes after his introduction.
Again, Hoolahan was involved before Murphy deftly played the through in the inside left-channel.
It was the cue for McClean to pin his ears back and open his legs.
There are few with more zip in the squad and McClean drew clear before burying the ball into the far corner at pace.
He almost added another late on but this time the Uruguay defending was up to scratch.
Under O’Neill, Ireland have never scored four goals against a decent side like Uruguay but a 3-1 win is better any day than a 3-1 reverse.
As the manager observed afterwards, ‘This sets us up nicely for Austria.’ That it has.
@quinner61