Rep of Ireland 1 - 1 Poland

Shane Long’s late leveller keeps Euro 2016 hopes alive for Ireland

Rep of Ireland 1 - 1 Poland
Shane Long 90 +0:32

Slawomir Peszko 26



Shane Long came off the bench to rescue a point for the Republic of Ireland and keep alive the chances of Martin O’Neill’s men making it to the European Championship. The Irish were in danger of suffering a grievous defeat after falling behind to first-half goal from Slawomir Peszko, but the hosts mounted a rousing fightback in the second period and were rewarded when Long clipped the ball into the net from close range following a corner in stoppage time.

Ireland’s 150,000-strong Polish community had mobilised in earnest, ensuring an ample and boisterous scattering of red-and-white-clad fans all around the Aviva Stadium, but this was still a home game for Ireland and O’Neill had been insisting since the start of the campaign that he would strive to make trips to Dublin an ordeal for opponents. His team selection suggested that no matter what happened, he could not be accused of excessive caution. He had vowed earlier in the week that he would “go for it” and the victories of Scotland and Germany earlier in the day may have hardened that resolve.

The inclusion of Wes Hoolahan chimed with public demand and testified to an eagerness to introduce more inventiveness into the team, while deploying Robbie Brady at left-back was another case of prioritising creativity over solidity. In all, O’Neill made seven changes to the side that had begun Ireland’s last competitive outing, November’s ramshackle 1-0 defeat to Scotland in Glasgow. In stylistic terms, then, this was intended to be a new-look Ireland as far as the O’Neill era was concerned, even if a sense that big-game experience would be required brought returns for two veterans: 34-year-old Robbie Keane was restored to the first XI at the tip of the 4-2-3-1 formation after being dropped for the Scotland game, while Shay Given was handed the goalkeeper’s jersey ahead of David Forde. The 38-year-old who came out of international retirement last year was making a first competitive appearance for his country since Euro 2012.

So Ireland had the ambition, but did they have the quality?

Poland made the more assured start. They passed marginally better and looked the more cohesive unit in a helter-skelter opening. However, Ireland registered the first shot in the ninth minute, with Hoolahan exciting home fans with a shuffling run that finished with a drive wide from 20 yards. That seemed to settle the Irish, who began to pass and move with a smidgin more finesse, though it was still not enough to unhinge the visiting defence. Poland began to adopt a pattern that reflected the manager Adam Nawalka’s pre-match declaration that a draw would be a satisfactory outcome. That did not mean they would eschew chances to strike on the counter, and in the 20th minute a free-kick flighted into the Irish box from deep gave Grzegorz Krychowiak an opportunity to test Given, but the midfielder headed wide from eight yards.

The Poles were not so merciful six minutes later when Peszko exposed Brady’s defensive shortcomings. O’Neill surely knew that was always a risk but he would have been entitled to count on the Hull City player not to get caught dithering just outside the left corner of his own box. After ambushing Brady, Peszko exchanged rapid passes with Maciej Rybus before firing past Given.

The goal was trigger for Polish fans to ignite celebratory flares, while Irish supporters resumed fretting about their side’s lack of flair. It was not clear where an equaliser would come from.

Brady had a shot at redemption in the 35th minute but wasted a freekick in a promising position. In the 44th minute he found Aiden McGeady in the box with a neat pass and the Everton player did well to jink past two defenders but then clipped his shot side.

O’Neill did not change personnel during the break but shifted to a 4-4-2, with Jonathan Walters partnering Keane as Ireland sought to establish a firmer presence up front. The hosts would still have to summon the guile to supply the forwards regularly, with the noodling of Hoolahan and McGeady intermittent and James McCarthy not rising to the pre-match challenge to radiate a more progressive power from central midfield. Luck nearly came to their aid in the 52nd minute, when Brady’s cross took a deflection off Pawel Olkowski but the ball bounced out off the post.

Whatever else they may lack, Ireland have no shortage of energy. Through sheer will as much as craft they began to make life more uncomfortable for the visitors. Whereas the hosts incurred three bookings in the first half, Poland started collecting yellow cards in the second as they strained to repel blustery Irish raids. There seemed a strong case for introducing Shane Long to add more menace up front but O’Neill’s first substitution, in the 68th minute, saw McGeady replaced by James McClean. The manager was almost vindicated in the 72nd minute when McClean delivered a searching cross from the right and Keane met it with a downward header that Lukasz Fabianski pushed on to the post.

McClean made another incursion down the left in the 82nd minute as the pressure from Ireland mounted. This time the winger’s cross ran all the way to Seamus Coleman, who charged into the box from the right but blazed his shot wide. O’Neill then threw on Long for Glenn Whelan. The men in green kept knocking hard and finally broke down the Polish door. Brady swung in a corner that Hoolahan headed on and the ball fell to the feet of Long, who slotted in from five yards. A point suited the visitors more than the hosts, but this was the third time in five qualifiers so far that Ireland have salvaged some satisfaction late on, so their supporters will not be discounting a happy end to the campaign.

Guardian