Ireland united in animosity and mediocrity as Republic and the North stumble their way to scrappy draw
Republic of Ireland 0 Northern Ireland 0
For all their political divisions, there is one thing that unites Ireland – two poor football teams stumbling their way through to the end of a terrible year without much hope the next one will be any better.
This was a shocking game of football, an eyesore, the only pulse of excitement caused by the mutual booing of the national anthems, a brief spark of animosity that was extinguished by a shared sense of apathy once the game started.
These are worrying times for the O’Neills. Martin is struggling to galvanise the Republic, a miserable Nations League campaign cranking up the pressure that has surrounded him since losing a World Cup play-off to Denmark a year ago.
Things are at least a little brighter for the North’s Michael. They were probably the superior side here but have lost all their Nations League games. “We should have won and were in control from the beginning,” said Michael O’Neill. “That was a positive performance. I think the team is getting stronger.”
For his namesake, the opposite is true. Ireland are no longer playing like a Martin O’Neill team.
“I’m disappointed,” he said. “We didn’t do enough going forward and there was a lot of sloppiness that gifted them a couple of chances. I’m not too worried about myself but I’m disappointed for the fans.”
It says a lot about the issues dominating the political landscape in Ireland and the United Kingdom that this was jokingly referred to as the “Brexit Backstop derby”.
Northern Ireland should have taken the lead when Gavin Whyte was left with Darren Randolph to beat, only for the goalkeeper to make a good save with his feet.
The Republic’s only threat came from set-pieces. Shane Duffy should have scored when he was left with a free header eight yards out, but the Brighton centre-back failed to make proper contact, while the otherwise anonymous Jeff Hendrick put another header into the arms of goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell.
This was not the way Glenn Whelan would have wanted his final game for Ireland to unfold, the only reason for their supporters to cheer and applaud coming when he was replaced after 36 minutes.
Not that this is how anyone wants a game of football to be played. Even when the North were gifted a chance by Darragh Lenihan, they could not take it, Randolph saving with his legs to deny Jordan Jones.
Match details
Republic of Ireland (3-5-2): Randolph 8 (Middlesbrough); Egan 6 (Sheff United), Duffy 6 (Brighton), Lenihan 3 (Blackburn) (Christie Fulham 84); Coleman 5 (Everton), Brady 6 (Burnley) Whelan 5 (Aston Villa) (Hourihane Aston Villa 36mins) Hendrick (Burnley) 5; McClean (Stoke) 4 (Stevens Sheff Utd 66); O’Dowda 4 (Bristol City) (Curtis Portsmouth h-t), Robinson (Preston) 7 (Maguire Preston 66) (Hogan Aston Villa 79)
Subs not used: Doyle (Hearts), Kelleher (Liverpool), Williams (Millwall), Obafemi (Southampton), Long (Burnley), Arter (Cardiff City).
Booked: Lenihane, Hourihane
Northern Ireland (4-1-3-2):Peacock-Farrell (Leeds United) 6; Smith (Hearts) 7 Evans (Leicester) 7 Cathcart (Watford) 7 Lewis (Norwich) 7; Evans (Blackburn) 6 (McNair Middlesbrough 65); Dallas (Leeds) 7 Davis (Southampton) 6 Saville (Middlesbrough) 6; Whyte (Oxford) 5, Boyce (Burton Albion) 6 (Lafferty Rangers 71),
Subs: McGovern (Norwich), Hazard (Celtic), McLaughlin (Millwall), McAuley (Rangers), McGinn (Aberdeen), Ferguson (Milwall), Jones (Kilmarnock), Hughes (Hearts), Ward (Charlton), Magennis (Bolton)
Booked: Saville
Attendance: 31,241
