2150:
As the rest of us try to come to terms with what just happened, boos rang around the Aviva Stadium immediately after the final whistle as Trap felt the wrath of the fans for an approach which practically invited an Austria equaliser in the last quarter of the game.
It was clearly evident that with at least 20 minutes to go, Ireland had settled for the result and decided to batten down the hatches rather than go for a third goal and kill off the game. In fairness it was only a matter of seconds from coming off, but just as he would have taken plaudits had Ireland held out, Trap must take the flak because it was an incredibly risky strategy that was always liable to end the way it did.
The depressing thing now is that the result has practically killed our chances of qualifying for Brazil. Sweden are level on points with us with a game in hand, while Austria are now in a better position and will have no fear when taking us on at home later in the group.
For so long it had promised to be a very satisfying night for the Boys in Green but talk about an anti-climax.
That’s it from us for the evening, thanks for tuning in.
FULL-TIME
Well ain’t that a kick in the nuts. With seconds left on the clock, David Alaba strikes from the edge of the box and the slightest of deflections takes the ball beyond David Forde and into the net. What a huge, huge goal that might turn out to be
DISASTER
GOAL AUSTRIA (ALABA)
Heart-attack stuff in the Irish box as Arnautovic hacks at a chance from no more than eight yards out and Ireland clear to safety.
Three minutes left to hang on.
And they didn’t hit it direct as it was cleverly hit to the back stick but thankfully for us David Forde was alert and intercepted Harnik’s header as Janko was waiting to pounce.
Two minutes left and Austria have a free-kick in a dangerous position after John O’Shea needlessly climbs all over Janko. Might be too far out to hit direct but…
A tackle and a half from James McClean on Garics on the left wing. Not really necessary to go in as hard as he did as it was easily 60-40 in his favour but the crowd certainly enjoyed it.
Shane Long making his way off after a helluva shift up front, Paul Green on to tighten things up for the last few minutes.
Yellow card for Shane Long for a clumsy, clumsy challenge on Baumgartlinger and that’s him out of the Faroes game as well. You’d swear they were getting those yellows on purpose…
A lot of tiring bodies in green jerseys but no sign of any changes from the bench as yet. Ireland seemingly setting themselves up for a siege in the last ten minutes. Hopefully we can hold out.
This has been a great game to watch and everything but it’s not easy on the heart either. The longer the game has gone gone, Ireland have dropped deeper and deeper and Austria are starting to sniff blood.
Ciaran Clark off with what looks like a shoulder injury with ‘the ledge’ Sean St. Ledger coming on in his stead.
Strange decision by the ref to play advantage after James McClean had clearly brought down an Austrian attacker just outside the box on the right and then not to award a free-kick when the attack came to nothing seconds later. Not that we’re complaining mind.
Ireland so close to going two goals in front as a dangerous ball from McClean cannons off an Austrian head and towards the net only for Linder to produce an amazing save to keep it out. From the resulting set-piece, Wilson’s header flashes past the far post. A goal and some security would be nice with 20 minutes still left to go.
Long gets in behind the Austrian defence after an excellent long ball from John O’Shea, but with Walters and Sammon waiting in the middle, Long’s cross isn’t powerful enough and is cleared behind for a corner.
Austria starting to pile on the pressure, but David Forde comes to the rescue with a very assured fetch from a dangerous looking cross. 65 minutes in, it might be time to look to the bench for fresh legs.
Marc Janko on for Hosiner for Austria, his record for his country to date is nearly one goal in every two games so he’ll need watching.
Jonathan Walters comes off worse after an aerial challenge with Emmanuel Pogatetz that can only be described as ‘meaty’. Walters is a hardy bugger though and he picks himself up and dusts himself off with little fuss.
Kavlak with an untidy challenge on Sammon and is very lucky not to get a yellow because if he did he would have been off. Glenn Whelan looked particularly incensed that he wasn’t punished, possibly because it was as bad as James McCarthy’s earlier. That’ll be his last chance you’d have to think.
Austria go close again, this time through Garics, who scuffs a volley wide of the post from Harnik’s cross. Ireland have taken the foot off the gas for the last few minutes.
Smart save by David Forde after a decent effort from Harnik on the edge of the box. The Galway man hasn’t had as much to do as he did in Sweden but that will keep him on his toes.
For a minute we thought that James McClean’s effort from the set-piece was in but instead it was the outside of the net rippling as the ball flew just wide. Great attempt.
Conor Sammon wins a free-kick in a dangerous position for Ireland and much like another man whose selection was questioned for the Sweden game – Paul Green – he has acquitted himself well.
Away we go for the second half
With 20 minutes gone that looked very dodgy for Ireland indeed but we’re sitting pretty now and we thoroughly deserve to be. Ireland have dominated since going behind and have taken the game to Austria with Shane Long, James McClean and, of course, two-goal Jonathan Walters leading the charge.
Apart from the mistake for the goal and a nervy opening ten minutes it’s hard to find fault with Ireland’s display so far and if we can maintain that level in the second half then the three points should be in the bag.
Second half coming right up…
HALF-TIME
Jonathan Walters grabs his and Ireland’s second goal of the night and although it was from close range, the Stoke man showed great power to reach Glenn Whelan’s cross and divert it into the corner. Interestingly, McClean was about to take the corner before Whelan relieved him of the responsibility. Inspired decision under the circumstances and what a time to get a goal.
GOAL IRELAND (WALTERS)
McClean causing mayhem agin down the left and wins another corner. Hard choose between himself and Long as Ireland’s player of the half.
The snow is absolutely pelting down at the Aviva right now, might have to call on these lads before the night is out…
So so close from Shane Long, who backheeled the ball against the post, having received the ball with his back to goal eight yards out. Had it gone in it really would have been a special goal, really unlucky for the Tipp man.
John O’Shea the second Irish player in the book, with the ref indicating that he’s being given yellow for his third infringement of the night. The captain can’t really complain to be fair.
Another brilliant ball in from James McClean on the left but neither Sammon or Long can get their heads on it. Glenn Whelan pounces on the second ball but a heavy touch brings an end to the attack. Long and in particular, McClean looking very lively.
Another picture of Robbie and Morrissey at the Aviva, this one taken by JOE head honcho Niall McGarry. Robbie can’t bear to watch it seems…
We can’t have been the only ones sweating when Jonathan Walters stepped up – he has missed quite a few this season after all – but our doubts proved misplaced as he rattled the ball to the bottom left corner with the confidence of a man who has never missed. Game on.
GOAL IRELAND (WALTERS)
Shane Long did the hard work this time but we have Pogatetz to thank for a quite ridiculous challenge when Long didn’t really have anything on. Jonathan Walters steps up…
PENALTY IRELAND!
Another good ball from McClean causes havoc in the box with the ‘keeper and Pogatetz both going for it and neither able to deal with it. Fortunately for Austria Sammon was beaten to the rebound and they were let off the hook.
James McCarthy with a crunching tackle on Junuzovic and the Austrian comes off a lot worse. McCarthy eventually given a yellow card even if the two of them seemed to be going with studs showing. That card puts McCarthy out of the Faroes game in the summer but if you’re going to miss any game, that might as well be it.
Ireland denied a stonewall corner kick after Long knocks it off Pogatetz, but despite being only a yard or two away, the linesman awards a goal-kick. Long not happy and understandably so but it’s one of a number of things not going Ireland’s way at the moment.
This is a situation that will really test Ireland. As our away record under Trap testifies, we’re very good when inviting the opposition onto us and soaking up the pressure, not so good when the onus is on us to take the game to the opposition. Let’s see what we’re made of…
Hate kicking Clark while he’s down and he’s only young, but he has a tendency to be error-prone and made a very similar mistake for Villa against Man City not too long ago. Hopefully his mistake won’t prove too crucial in the end.
Harnik applied the finishing touch for Austria but Ciaran Clark won’t want to see the goal again in a hurry. The Villa defender dithered on the ball and tried to take on two opposition defenders before being robbed 30 yards from goal. Junuzovic eventually squared it to Harnik who poked it under Forde and into the net. Huge blow for Ireland.
GOAL AUSTRIA (HARNIK)
As he did in Stockholm, James McClean looks lively down the left so far, this time he draws a couple of defenders and makes space for Wilson to send in a deep cross. Ireland get a corner out of it but it comes to nothing, but the early signs from the Sunderland winger are promising.
Decent response from Ireland as Long (incorrectly) ruled offside when through on goal and then McClean fizzes in a low cross from the left that an Austrian defender has to stretch to clear to safety. No holding back from either side so far.
OK so it’s less than five minutes in but Austria have started very brightly. Already they’re snapping at Ireland’s heels in midfield, their passing is quick and incisive and everyone in the attacking third looks very comfortable on the ball. Something to focus the minds early on if Ireland had planned on easing themselves into proceedings.
From the subsequent free-kick, Alaba hit a dipping effort from 35 yards that whistled just past the post. Let off for Ireland and we imagine Whelan is wiping the sweat from his brow as we speak.
Glenn Whelan’s first contribution is to pass the ball 20 yards towards his own goal and straight to the feet of an Austrian striker. Where’s Paul Green when you need him, eh?
And we’re off…
You may remember the pun potential surrounding a lad called Safari for Sweden on Friday night, so we wonder if George will be a little creative with the Austrian number 5 tonight. His name is Fuchs. That is all.
In stark contrast to the Sweden game, JOE readers are far more enthusiastic about tonight’s game over on our Facebook page with only one fan failing to predict an Ireland victory. They were badly wrong on Friday night, so let’s hope lightning doesn’t strike twice.
The teams are out on the pitch and we can only hope that they do a better job of the Irish anthem than the ear-violating version we had to listen to in Stockholm on Friday night.
Judging by the early evidence the pitch seems to be in decent nick but there are a few of these babies on standby just in case the weather takes a turn for the worse later on…
Coleman and McCarthy getting plenty of kudos from Eamon Dunphy in the RTE studio, but the selection of Sammon over Hoolahan has not gone down well at all. Remains to be seen if we’ll all be cursing that decision come the end of the evening…
Here’s the XI Ireland will be going up against tonight, worth keeping an eye out for Bayern Munich’s David Alaba in midfield. Aston Villa’s Andreas Weimann on the bench while Toni Polster is conspicuous by his absence.
Austria: Linder; Garics, Dragovic, Pogatetz, Fuchs, Arnautovic, Alaba, Junuzovic, Harnik, Kavlak, Hosiner
Marc Wilson has been given the all-clear to start for Ireland, meaning the team lines out as selected. In case you need reminding, here it is
Ireland: Forde; Coleman, O’Shea, Clark, Wilson; Walters, Whelan, McCarthy, McClean; Sammon, Long
Robbie bringing one of the cousins along to the game, that’s nice of him… (via @FAIreland)
Good evening folks and welcome to our live coverage of Ireland’s crucial World Cup qualifier against Austria and if the weather outside today wasn’t enough for you, prepare to be snowed under with everything that’s going on over on Lansdowne Road because we’ll be right up to date with one of the most important home games in years.
It really is a massive game at the Aviva for the Boys in Green and one that could potentially make or break our qualifying campaign, even at this early stage.
Win and we’ll go to second and put huge pressure on Sweden in what looks to be the race for runners-up in the group; lose or even draw and we really will be playing catch-up with trips to Germany and Austria to come as well as a tricky enough home assignment against the Swedes on our own turf.
There’s just over 45 minutes to go until kick-off and we’ll be back with the team news very shortly
