REPUBLIC of Ireland’s Robbie Brady heaped praise on club-mate Wes Hoolahan after his sliderule pass set up James McClean for the all-important winner in Vienna on Saturday night.
McClean’s 48th minute strike banked a precious three points for the Irish and they can now harbour realistic hopes of topping Group D and qualify automatically for the 2018 World Cup finals in Russia.
The Irish lead by two points after four games – three of them played away from home - having dropped just two points out of a possible 12, while Wales drawing with Serbia in Cardiff on Saturday night made it the perfect weekend for Martin O’Neill’s men.
The Republic of Ireland manager put his faith in Hoolahan again following his excellent display in Moldova last month.
And while the 34-year-old playmaker endured a difficult opening half hour, giving the ball away a number of times, he was still Ireland’s most creative player.
He was the architect of McClean’s second half goal and was also involved in the gilt-edged chance Jonathan Walters squandered just before half-time.
“Wes was great,” said Brady.
“Sometimes you have to give and take with a player like that. He was fantastic and to slip a ball through for James for the goal like that was great.
“A lot of our good chances in the game had Wes in the middle of it; it was a great pass and with the pace and power that James McClean has not many defenders will catch him.”
The only negative on an otherwise fantastic night for the Irish was Brady’s cheap yellow card he picked up in the second half against the Austrians, his second of the campaign, which rules him out of the home game against Wales next March.
“I had forgot all about it [being one booking away from a suspension] and I didn’t realise it,” said the Norwich City man, who kicked the ball away in order to get back into position.
“It was silly from myself. I just felt at that moment in time if they had picked the ball up and thrown it in behind someone there might have been some danger, so I flicked it rather than kicked it away, hoping I might get away with it but he booked me and I really don’t want to miss out on the next game.
“I know we have great players to come in but it won’t make it any easier on myself to miss it. It was silly of me and I can only apologise.”
Meanwhile, Harry Arter finally made his competitive debut for Ireland on Saturday night, putting to bed rumours that he was considering declaring for England after missing the Georgia and Moldova doubleheader through injury.
Arter had expressed his disappointment at not seeing more game-time with the Republic – while injuries played their part in delaying his much-anticipated competitive debut.
But, with James McCarthy ruled out through injury on Saturday night, there was as midfield spot available and O’Neill entrusted the Bournemouth man with a start.
“I suppose I always thought that was part of the reason [a lack of trust] that I hadn’t played so much in the past,” said Arter.
“I had to just keep on working hard with Bournemouth and I’m really grateful that the manager has given me my chance.”
Arter acknowledged he was disappointed with his own first half display in Vienna but was much improved in the second period alongside David Meyler in Ireland’s midfield engine room.
“The first half I wasn’t too pleased,” he said. “But then in the second half I was pleased. We changed the dynamics of the game part of the way in.
“We set out a certain way and then [Glenn Whelan] came off. I think the manager wanted to change it up and once we sort of changed the game plan I thought it worked better for us.”
Arter added: “I felt in the first half we probably sat off them a little bit and I felt if we got into them a little bit… I personally decided that I wanted to put my foot in a little bit and I felt the benefit of that.
“It wasn’t the greatest of pitches; it was difficult to get on the ball and play your football and so sometimes you have to try to affect the game in a different way and that’s what I was trying to do off the ball. The win puts us in a great position.
Central defender Shane Duffy commented: “I think that every team that we come up against know that they have to play really well to beat us… Every game we play, it’s a tough game for the opposition. Obviously you’re going to lose some games. But we’re confident going into every game we can beat anyone because of the way we’re set up.”
