Soccer

Proud Irishmen need to stand up says skipper Seamus Coleman as Republic scrape draw against Northern Ireland

Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Darren Randolph (left) clears the ball under pressure from Northern Ireland's Liam Boyce 
Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Darren Randolph (left) clears the ball under pressure from Northern Ireland's Liam Boyce  Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Darren Randolph (left) clears the ball under pressure from Northern Ireland's Liam Boyce 

International friendly: Republic of Ireland 0 Northern Ireland 0

AS “proud Irishmen” the Republic of Ireland players need to take responsibility for last night's lacklustre performance said skipper Seamus Coleman after goalkeeper Darren Randolph denied Northern Ireland with two top drawer saves at the Aviva Stadium.

The North played with passion and poise and dominated a misfiring Republic side that, apart from occasional set-pieces, rarely threatened.

Michael O’Neill was entitled to be disappointed his side didn’t win the game.

“I thought we were terrific on the night and very dominant in the game,” said the Northern Ireland manager.

“We created good chances, unfortunately we didn’t take them and Darren Randolph had a great night.

“But I’m really pleased with the performance and I think we deserved to win the game.”

O’Neill’s one criticism of his side was their lack of composure in the final third. With Steven Davis outstanding, the North dominated midfield but Gavin Whyte and Jordan Jones missed gilt-edged chances in either half.

“Our gameplan was to come and play and control the game and I think we did that,” said O’Neill.

“We controlled the game from how we played out from the goalkeeper and the two centre-backs who were superb and the two full-backs as well.

“At no point in the game did I feel we were not in control. The Republic are always a danger from set-pieces and had to defend a lot of longer balls as well but I thought overall we had good control of the game and possibly we could have created more chances than we did.

“That would be my one criticism, in the final third we have to be more clinical.”

Boos rang around the Aviva at full-time and Republic skipper Seamus Coleman admitted the ‘Boys in Green’ hadn’t been good enough on the night.

“We’re all disappointed,” he said.

“We can do all the talking we want but the only place we can be better is out on the pitch for 90 minutes. Tonight we weren’t good enough.

“We weren’t good enough on the ball, we weren’t good enough at making angles for each other and creating chances. That’s the honest truth and our keeper was man of the match, that says it all.

“As professional footballers and proud Irishmen we need to be better and if you watch us training we’re getting the ball down, we’re training to make things happen but when we go out on the pitch we need to help each other a bit more.

“We need to help the man on the ball, make angles for the man on the ball, and at the minute we’re not doing that. We need to look in the mirror and ask ourselves: Did you make an angle for your mate who’s on the ball? If we’re honest, a lot of us didn’t do that.

The Republic failed to score for their third match in succession and have won just one of their nine games in 2018. However, Killybegs native Coleman says the team – and management – can bring their poor run to an end.

“Of course,” he said.

“As players sometimes we get away with it and we need to be better out there on the pitch, get on the ball and make things happen and pass forward. I don’t think we did that.”

Steven Davis ran the game for Northern Ireland, dropped deep to get on the ball and then pushing up the field to harass the Republic’s nervous midfield pair.

“The win was there for us,” he said.

“I thought we played really well on the night, we moved the ball well and we caused them a lot of problems. On the balance of play and the chances created we did have the better of the game.

“We have been playing some nice stuff, getting into good areas and getting some good chances but obviously we need to be more clinical.

“It’s nice to get a result here but I thought we should have won the game.”

Gavin Whyte added: “We played very well especially in the first half.

“It was a good save. As soon as I took a touch he was straight out and it was goo save. It’s all about getting into those areas and hopefully I’ll get the next one.”