Ireland vs Estonia (1st Leg) - Match Thread

[Stuttgart88]

Legendz, Kelly has it in for Trap and Keane and has done for ages. His article comparing Keane to O'Driscoll recently was a joke, but lots of similar guff has preceded it.

[thischarmingman]

Well, how is everyone this morning?

:cool:

[tetsujin1979]

There's been a few mentions on the thread about the union jack flags in the stadium, and Ken Early mentioned in the build up to the game on Newstalk that one of the flags is a permanent fixture in the stadium, so I checked it out.
The black, white and blue union jack is the flag of the Estonian navy, known as the naval jack - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estonian_Navy
According to this post on Ready To Go (Sunderland fan site) - http://www.readytogo.net/smb/showpost.php?p=10742463&postcount=2 - St George's Day is the anniversary of a revolution in Estonia, the St George's Night Uprising - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._George's_Night_Uprising (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Georges_Night_Uprising) - so it's nothing to do with England
There's a link on that post to this (rather long) article on the history of St George's Day in Estonia - http://www.folklore.ee/folklore/nr1/georg.htm

[Stuttgart88]

Hungover, but yet with that wonderful spring in my step that I had when I got laid for the first time.

[geysir]

The panel last night were miserly in their appraisal of McGeady's cross to Andrews. Sure Andrews met the ball perfectly and did all the work to turn the chance into a goal, but McGeady's lob to his head, over two covering players, was as good as could be done in the circumstances, by even the most skillful player.

[theworm2345]

I reckon it's time for another song. Football teams releasing songs for tournaments, cup finals, etc is surely so unfashionable it's bound to be retro by now.
If most of the songs for 2002 (and even 1994) are any indication, I think we can do without any new songs.

[dr_peepee]

Yeah... Thought that myself. Was a good cross in a difficult situation I thought.

Was delighted fro Ward, Andrews ande Keane. Walters done well.

Not keen on Duff on the right wing any more though..

[Sullivinho]

This reporter seems to have knives out for Keane and Trap. What his problem?

I've never seen David Kelly and 'Blake Steidler' in the same room. (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15849599/ns/health-mental_health/t/botched-penis-surgery-ends-mailbomb-doc) Just sayin'.


Well, how is everyone this morning?



Still high as a kite. Hardly any rest and don't feel any worse for it. Mighty stuff!

[tricky_colour]

Yep that cross has seen McGeady soar in my estimations, it is what is know as 'end product' so I don't think we can say he has no
end product any more, and I think he played a key part in the second goal. Seems like the move to Russia has done him good.

"In soviet Russia product ends you". :p

[BonnieShels]

What a game. What a night. Thank you.

[Closed Account]

I think we should all take note of these wise words from Trap.

"The cat is in the sack, but the sack is not
closed," he added.
"The cat is in it, but it's open - and it's a
wild cat."

[micls]

Over here in Koh Samui Thailand (for my sins), couldnt watch game live so was waiting to watch relive game today, couldnt wait to watch game to get the result, Its been annoying me all nite.

What a result, we never used to do it the easy way, At least now we are all but sorted. Time for ticket scramble, pleasant change for our lot, lol

A bit late now, but it was on True Sport 2. All the games have been so Tuesdays should be too.

[legendz]

Found one already!
http://www.worldfootball.net/teams/bolton-wanderers/2010/3/

21. Round 09/03/2010 19:45 A Sunderland AFC Sunderland AFC 0:4
30. Round 13/03/2010 15:00 H Wigan Athletic Wigan Athletic 4:0

So there you have Bolton (ie Estonia ;) ) losing 4-0 then winning 4-0 against fairly similar opposition!!


I mean you can just see it, Estonia have nothing to lose and go flat out on the attack whilst we are resting on our
laurels, 0-1, well they deserve a consolation goal, 0-2, time we tightened it up a bit at the back, don't want to let them get back in, 0-3, bloody hell!!! 0-4 oh ****!!!

http://images.cheezburger.com/completestore/2010/5/4/129174456211834256.jpg

Fair point in some respects. Count eggs not chickens. Has to be in the bag though barring a Devon Loch disaster.

[legendz]

Legendz, Kelly has it in for Trap and Keane and has done for ages. His article comparing Keane to O'Driscoll recently was a joke, but lots of similar guff has preceded it.

Thanks, I usually stop reading when negative **** is unnecessary but couldn't believe that piece after what was a good night. He'd want to give fair comment e.g. Keane looking for other players to lift their games after the first player was sent off.

[lionelhutz]

Signed sealed delivered. I think Ward deserves a special mention for last nights performance. I was one of many fans worried that he'd be our weak link but he was excellent, the best of the back four imo.

He timed one tackle in our box to perfection and looked extremely comfortable throughout. Hopefully he'll push on from this and become the solid left full we've been looking for.

[Tipp Townie]

Signed sealed delivered. I think Ward deserves a special mention for last nights performance. I was one of many fans worried that he'd be our weak link but he was excellent, the best of the back four imo.

He timed one tackle in our box to perfection and looked extremely comfortable throughout. Hopefully he'll push on from this and become the solid left full we've been looking for.

I was forced to resort to the UK Guardian min-by-min updates for the early part of the match - and i'm sure they said Ward was having a 'torrid time'. Was he up against someone decent, that he eventually got the better of?

[lionelhutz]

I was forced to resort to the UK Guardian min-by-min updates for the early part of the match - and i'm sure they said Ward was having a 'torrid time'. Was he up against someone decent, that he eventually got the better of?

Not sure what game the Guardian were watching. IIRC Estonia never got in behind Ward and he didn't once get caught out of position. There were one or two crosses he should have delivered better but I didn't find any faults besides that.

[rebelmusic]

I think the only time Ward did something wrong was a long kick out from their keep. He had loads of time to control it but knocked it into the path of their striker. I roared at the screen and got a torrent of abuse from everyone around me :D

[geysir]

Not sure what game the Guardian were watching. IIRC Estonia never got in behind Ward and he didn't once get caught out of position. There were one or two crosses he should have delivered better but I didn't find any faults besides that.
He did get caught once early on in the game when the Estonian player turned him the wrong way at the edge of the box but St Ledger was in like a flash to cut out any danger. He settled in fine after that.

[elroy]

Didn't have the greatest start but settled thereafter, made one great challenge to clear a ball that almost put the right winger in behind the back 4

[Stuttgart88]

Thanks, I usually stop reading when negative **** is unnecessary but couldn't believe that piece after what was a good night. He'd want to give fair comment e.g. Keane looking for other players to lift their games after the first player was sent off.He also had a snipe at the FAI, in the context of Dunne having a yellow card. I didn't quite understand that one.

Richard Dunne, despite already serving a suspension, still remained on the precipice of another suspension, a significant oversight on behalf of his association that, hopefully, would have been transmitted to the occasionally reckless tackler before this skirmish.

And then this:

Despite the flurry, the affair swiftly acquired another tenor, that of an English-style game --more championship than Premier League, of course.

Go watch your beloved Premier League then, when it costs upwards of £100mm just to put a team on the pitch and talent can be bought from almost anywhere in the world. Of course.

And Keane being "headless" in the opening minutes? I'll give Kelly the benefit of the doubt and assume he was just trying to be funny rather than petty - he had described the tackle on Keane as an attempted decapitation.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/destiny-of-traprsquos-army-now-in-poland-and-ukraine-2932909.html

[geysir]

Though Keane went from "headless" in the opening minutes to "assassin-like predatory instinct" by the end of the article.

Even when appears to be praising Keane, he makes it sound ugly.

[Fixer82]

What a result. I had €2 on Ireland to win 5-0 (200/1) and Keane to score a hat-trick (80/1). I was very very close to buying the whole pub a drink. Fantastic!

[DannyInvincible]

I'll have to read through this thread later as I'm still on the recovery, but I was very impressed with the performance all round. Comprehensive and the gulf in ability clearly showed. I noticed a few Estonia players having a go at the ref after the final whistle but I don't think they could have any genuine complaints. I think the occasion got to them. They were very nervy from the start and completely capitulated as things went from worse to worse for them. Walters and Andrews, of whom I've been critical before, both did very well. Doyle will have a challenge on his hands to reclaim his place I think. Great to have so many options up front now. Ward did well too; put in a fantastically-timed tackle in the box at one point. Robbie scoring twice in a big game; the absolute nerve to prove his doubters wrong yet again! The emotional Trap interview after the game was rather touching. Great night all round; lovely stuff. The pub in Manchester was bouncing too. Great to see the buzz back. Roll on Tuesday. It'll be quite the night in Dublin!

[MeathDrog]

I missed the Ward tackle that people are talking about. Can anyone tell me roughly when it happens so I can look it up on the RTE player?

[SkStu]

i put a post on the first or second page of this thread almost as soon as it happened. Check it out and see if you can figure it out from there...

[Closed Account]

I missed the Ward tackle that people are talking about. Can anyone tell me roughly when it happens so I can look it up on the RTE player?
28.40, he gets caught for pace with a through ball but recovers admirably.

[tommy_c12000]

Surprised people are raving about this amazing Ward cover tackle. If he had positioned him appropriately in the first place he wouldn't have had to make a last ditch tackle. Not the answer to our left back woes

[Closed Account]

Why is the thread for the second leg closed?

Anyway, Trap giving an interview at the moment.
He says Doyler will start on Tuesday. He needs to put in a good performance.

He also says Leon Best has gone back to Newcastle injured but JOSH is fit and trained today.

Courtesy of Ken Early tweets https://twitter.com/#!/kenearlys

(https://twitter.com/#!/kenearlys)
The more woods you visit, the more wolves you find.
In the context of his future?
What the hell does that mean?

[geysir]

The further you go, the more obstacles there are to encounter. If you are afraid of wolves don't go into the woods.
Depends on the question Trap was answering.
But I don't suppose Ken Early gave some context

[tommy_c12000]

But I don't suppose Ken Early gave some context

According to Daniel McDonnell, Trap was answering a question on his future.

[tommy_c12000]

I have my suspicions that Manuela is winding us up half the time. I'd say she's an awful rascal

[BonnieShels]

I have my suspicions that Manuela is winding us up half the time. I'd say she's an awful rascal

I bet she is. The glint in her eye. PHWOAR!

[Charlie Darwin]

The panel last night were miserly in their appraisal of McGeady's cross to Andrews. Sure Andrews met the ball perfectly and did all the work to turn the chance into a goal, but McGeady's lob to his head, over two covering players, was as good as could be done in the circumstances, by even the most skillful player.
I couldn't believe their reaction. It wasn't the most amazing cross in the history of football but technically it was so good. The trajectory of the ball was ridiculous - it's the kind of cross Xavi or Iniesta routinely put in but the panel gave it nothing. If it was Fabregas, Brady - Liam Brady of all people! - would have been raving.

(I know the "if it had been X player" argument is awful but I think it's justified here)


Despite the flurry, the affair swiftly acquired another tenor, that of an English-style game --more championship than Premier League, of course.

Go watch your beloved Premier League then, when it costs upwards of £100mm just to put a team on the pitch and talent can be bought from almost anywhere in the world. Of course.
This was the best part. If he ever actually watched the Championship instead of just the Sky league, he'd know that they generally play the ball on the ground far more than the teams in the Premier League.

[geysir]

Robbie was quoted in an Estonian papers as saying post match "We are confident, but we are professionals and we know that anything can happen. 4:0 is a good result but we still have a game on Tuesday"

One fan commented
"What the hell? professional? anything can happen!??
We have to play without captain Piirojata, and the senior goalkeeper Stepanovita. We need to score at least 4 goals away.
We are professionals and we say that you have the cat in the bag"

[BonnieShels]

Will we see similar scenes on Tuesday night on the Walkinstown roundabout?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEkc8dGF2ds

[Charlie Darwin]

Will we see similar scenes on Tuesday night on the Walkinstown roundabout?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEkc8dGF2ds
I guess this just proves the old adage: put a camera in front of an Irishman anywhere in the world and he'll start jumping around singing "Ole ole ole" and disrupting traffic.

[Kingdom]

To be fair, the Walkinstown roundabout was like that most summers with/without Italia 90. We were just mad *******s out that way!

[Sullivinho]

Will we see similar scenes on Tuesday night on the Walkinstown roundabout?

...


Rare footage of the jubilant scenes in Cork on the same day:


http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xlrmhv_victory-celebrations-in-bani-walid_news


Roll on tuesday.

[Plastic Paddy]

I'm still getting over seeing Sullivinho in less-than-totally-cynical mode. A shock to the system, to be sure...

:ball: PP

[SwanVsDalton]

Checking in for the first time here since Friday afternoon. The last 24 hours have been......interesting. And lubricated.

To repeat - couldn't possibly have foreseen a result like that. The Estonians were silly and naive but our ruthlessness was impressive. Andrews excellent, Walters great, Keane - a leader.

Trap's post-match interview hopefully a telling riposte for anyone still under the impression he rather be sunning himself poolside in Umbria instead of watching Wes Hoolahan/Andy Reid/some game.

We deserved the result and we deserve to go to the finals. Cannot wait for Tuesday's party in the Aviva.

Well done the lads. Chickens or no, Polkraine here we come.

[DannyInvincible]

Is the game on RTÉ Player? I can't seem to find it. Maybe due to my location?

[Supreme feet]

I'd say it's about location. I'm dying to watch it again. Anyone know if I could download it anywhere?

[DannyInvincible]

RTÉ's pre-match analysis:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-37lqZYlBUE

RTÉ's half-time analysis:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIqmv4UG19o

RTÉ's post-match analysis:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXwub1aA7a0

[backstothewall]

If a understand things correctly Kelly, Sledge, Whelan and McGeady are all on a booking. If they pick up a booking on Tuesday does that get them a suspension for the first game in the finals (assuming we qualify)?

[dr_peepee]

They used to be wiped clean for the tournament... That's why i was surprised regarding the Craic with Rooney. Maybe not applying to sending offs?? I don't know to be honest... If i remember correctly it wasn't written in stone, but after qualifying there would be a meeting of the governing body followed by an announcement that cards wouldn't be carried.

[legendz]

Generally bookings of yellows picked up in different games don't carry over. If a player gets sent off in the last game, that's usually the only suspensions that carry over. Brady had that problem once. Rooney has that situation now but the UK's southern national team, if a provincial team can be such a thing, are going to still take him on the hope they get through.

Has there been any word on seedings for the Euro 2012 draw for countries lucky to make it. If we seal the deal on Tuesday as we should, any chance of being in the third pot? Having been seeded for the play-offs we surely can't be far off it? Winning on Tuesday should be important regards rankings unless last month is used because play-off teams could be getting a bit of an advantage with ranking points.

[geysir]

It's a rule that yellow cards don't carry over from the Qualifiers to the Finals, even if that player is due to be suspended because of accumulation of yellow cards.

But a suspension from a red card offense is carried over to the Finals.

[legendz]

Going by what I read in wiki. As was the case at the 2004 and 2008 finals, the sixteen finalists will be divided into four seeding pots, ranked by their UEFA coefficient.


A preliminary UEFA Euro 2012 ranking has been calculated according to the scheme above, to show the current ranking, before the remaining Euro 2012 qualifiers are played.


http://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/competitions/General/01/69/56/52/1695652_DOWNLOAD.pdf


Going by that pdf above, could be looking at:


Pot 1:
Spain - Holland - Ukraine - Poland
Pot 2:
Germany - Italy - England - Russia
Pot 3:
Croatia* - Greece - Sweden - Denmark
Pot 4:
Portugal* - France - Ireland* - Czech Republic*


* Not yet qualified. Need to avoid a Devon Loch disaster.


As long as we seal the deal, we'll be ranked higher than the co-hosts so drawing one of them would be ideal. We won't get France. Germany and Sweden, both of whom we'll face on the road to Brazil, could both be drawn against us. Spain, England and Italy as draws would obviously be huge games. England goes without saying. We've some history in our few major tournaments with Italy. Our last game in a major finals was against Spain when they beat us on penalties. Should we seal the deal, the opening game for pot 4 teams is against the team from pot 3. We'd be looking at an opener against Croatia*, Greece, Sweden or Denmark. A game against Germany, Italy, England or Russia will follow. The last game then will be Spain, Holland, Ukraine or Poland.


Best and worse draw are debatable. I'd say the easiest draw on paper would be Poland, Russia and Denmark. The toughest then would be Spain, Germany and Croatia. Interesting draws would come between Spain/Holland, Germany/Italy/England and Sweden.


Now let's just avoid a Devon Loch. :)

[Mad Moose]

Is the game on RTÉ Player? I can't seem to find it. Maybe due to my location?

Its your location I'm afraid. I wouldn't mind seeing it again to be honest. I once messed about by trying to taky on a .ie proxy but failed miserably.