The Irish News - Wednesday November 6 2013
O'Neill and Keane to take Republic reins
The Republic’s new Co Derry-born soccer manager, Martin O'Neill, and his assistant, former Manchester United star Roy Keane, last night said they were delighted by the appointments.
Speaking for the first time about his new job, former Celtic and Sunderland manager O'Neill (61), on ITV last night with Keane (42), joked about the younger man’s fearsome reputation.
“I think I’m the bad cop and he’s the bad, bad cop,” he said.
When asked why he chose the Corkman as his assistant O'Neill said: “I’ve asked myself that many a time in the last 48 hours. I think he’ll be great for me, but more importantly he’ll be great for the Republic of Ireland.”
Keane, who played for the Republic for 14 years, said he was “delighted” and “honoured” that O'Neill chose him. “Very excited. I mightn’t look it but I am,” he told ITV.
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The Irish News - Saturday November 16 2013
New management up and running but O'Neill knows bigger tests lie ahead
Republic of Ireland 3 Latvia 0
Martin O'Neill and Roy Keane’s managerial partnership got off to a dream start last night as the Republic convincingly beat a lacklustre Latvia side 3-0 in Dublin.
Robbie Keane scored his 62nd goal for Ireland on 22 minutes – a goal that sees him rise to 15th place in the international all-time scoring charts, level with Brazil’s Ronaldo.
Aiden McGeady’s 20-yard low drive doubled the Republic’s lead on 68 minutes and Shane Long capped a memorable night for O'Neill with his neat finish 11 minutes from time.
Speaking after the game, Martin O'Neill said: “Well I’m delighted, obviously. Delighted with the team, with the performance.
“There will be tougher tests ahead, we know, but it was nice to win. We played some really nice football and the crowd were terrific. it was an exhilarating evening for us.''
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The Irish News - Monday October 13 2014
Gibraltar done – now for the Germans
Republic of Ireland 7 Gibraltar 0
ROBBIE Keane insisted he wouldn’t be “going back to the hotel and jumping around the bedroom” after scoring the fastest-ever hat-trick – inside 17 minutes – in European Championship history against hopeless Gibraltar on Saturday night.
Keane’s three-goal haul – his third international hat-trick in 136 appearances – also saw him become the highest-ever goalscorer (21) in the Euros.
The 34-year-old veteran striker now sits on 65 goals for his country. A James McClean brace, one from Wes Hoolahan and an unfortunate own goal from Gibraltar’ s goalkeeper Jordan Perez completed the rout.
Read More:
- Who is the man to replace Martin O'Neill as Republic of ireland boss?
- Where it all went wrong for Martin O'Neill and the Republic of Ireland
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The Irish News - Friday October 9 2015
The night of all nights
Republic of Ireland 1 Germany 0
Northern Ireland 3 Greece 1
REPUBLIC of Ireland manager Martin O'Neill saluted his “super-sub” Shane Long after the Southampton striker’s goal sealed victory over world champions Germany.
A 1-0 success at the Aviva Stadium secured at least a play-off place in qualification for next summer’s European Championship and O'Neill will now take his side to Poland knowing victory on Sunday would secure their passage to France.
Northern Ireland head coach Michael O'Neill paid tribute to his team for buying into his philosophy after they sealed their place at next summer’s European Championship.
Two goals from captain Steven Davis, either side of Josh Magennis’ header, lifted Northern Ireland to a 3-1 win over Greece on a historic night at Windsor Park.
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The Irish News - Wednesday November 18 2015
Euro 2016 play-off: Republic of Ireland 2 Bosnia/Herzogovina 0
Republic feat hasn’t sunk in for emotional Coleman
SEAMUS Coleman yesterday revealed he was “close to tears” once Jonathan Walters hit his second goal against play-off opponents Bosnia-Herzegovina to effectively seal their place at Euro 2016 in France.
Overlooked by former Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni for Euro 2012, Coleman says he can’t wait to play at his first major finals on the international stage.
Speaking to press reporters in the lobby area of Castleknock Country Club – the team’s new base in Dublin – Coleman said the team’s achievement in reaching Euro 2016 still hadn’t sunk in. “I said it to my wife coming down in the lift there, it’s still a bit surreal. I don’t know when it will sink in. It was a special moment.''
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The Irish News - Monday November 14 2016
World Cup Qualifiers: Group D: Austria 0 Republic of Ireland 1
HERE’S the deal with the Republic of Ireland: Aesthetics don’t matter. Not in the slightest. Martin O'Neill isn’t in the entertainment business.
Of course, the vast majority of international qualifiers don’t make for great viewing.
By the law of averages, there will be some redemptive moments in games but, generally, international football can be dull as dishwater.
The joy – or otherwise – can only be found at the final whistle and what the big neon scoreboard reads.
In freezing cold Vienna on Saturday night, the scoreboard in the wonderful Ernst Happel arena made for blissful reading for Martin O'Neill’s players and the 3,000-plus Republic of Ireland supporters. James McClean’s angled drive on 48 minutes sent the pockets of Irish supporters into raptures – which was enough to win the game and put the Republic top of Group D while delivering an almost fatal blow to Austria’s 2018 World Cup prospects.
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The Irish News - Wednesday October 10 2017
World Cup Qualifiers: Group D: Wales 0 Republic of Ireland 1
MAN of the moment James McClean was on cloud nine last night as his goal in Cardiff put the Republic of Ireland into the World Cup play-offs.
The Republic travelled to Cardiff knowing only victory over Wales would ensure they progressed from Group D, and so it proved with McClean’s 57th minute strike as Serbia also won their game in Belgrade against Georgia to top the group. “There’s no better feeling, it’s class.
It was by far my best [international goal],” admitted McClean after the Derry man put Martin O'Neill’s team within two games of next summer’s World Cup finals in Russia.
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The Irish News - Wednesday November 15 2017
World Cup 2018 qualifying play-off, second leg: Republic of Ireland 1 Denmark 5 (Denmark win 5-1 on aggregate)
DENMARK manager Age Hareide last night thanked Martin O'Neill for giving Christian Eriksen the freedom to wreak havoc in the Aviva Stadium on an awful night for Ireland.
Eriksen hit a hat-trick as Denmark made sure Shane Duffy’s early goal was a false dawn for O'Neill’s men in the second leg of the World Cup play-off.
A Cyrus Christie own goal and a late Nicklas Bendtner penalty, with Eriksen’s hat-trick sandwiched in between, left Ireland’s World Cup hopes in tatters.
When asked about the difference between the Ireland performance of last Saturday and last night, the Denmark manager Hareide.was painfully honest: “I was surprised really because I think they played in a diamond in midfield with two forwards and that gave a lot of space in the centre of midfield for Eriksen.”
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The Irish News - Tuesday November 20 2018
O'Neill remains defiant
Uefa Nations League Group B4: Denmark 0 Republic of Ireland 0
THE Republic of Ireland brought their 2018 season to an end in a fitting fashion last night – by failing to score as they drew 0-0 with Denmark in their final Uefa Nations League Group B4 game.
While the match carried little significance in the competition with Martin O'Neill’s side already relegated and their hosts already promoted ahead of their meeting in Aarhus, it provided another example of the side’s lack of bite in attack although they did defend stoutly against the home side.
It was the fourth time in-a-row that they had drawn a blank – the first time that has occurred since 1996 – while it also meant that they failed to score in six of their nine games in 2018 with the team managing just four goals in all across those fixtures.
While admitting that it has been a testing year, O'Neill was remaining defiant last night. “It (2018) has certainly been tough,” he said.
“I think that might have been our ninth game, we’ve had five friendly matches, not easy friendly matches. “We’ve been away to France and away to Turkey, not easy games.''
