France V Republic of Ireland - Monday 28th May 2018 - Friendly

2-2 result. O'Dowda with the second, a cracker in off the bar. Henrik Larsson played the last half hour for Celtic, so I guess we can assume this was largely a waste of time (not that anything else was expected from a testimonial a day after a Cup final in fairness)

All the goals on the FAI twitter feed.

Browne 1-0

Griffiths 1-1

O'Dowda 2-1

Roberts 2-2

Don't see what subs we used yet other than that Graham Burke got a run-out anyway.

Edit - subs used from Dan McDonnell's twitter were Burke, Callum Robinson, Greg Cunningham, Matt Doherty, Conor O'Malley and, a few minutes later, Enda Stevens.

I see young Johnston started for Celtic. I can remember a poster being very confident he was throwing his hat into our ring. Seems to have gone quiet on that front.

I don't use embedded tweets because they are not visible on desktop for me.

Highlights from the testimonial against Celtic

Was that Greg Cunningham demonstrating why we don't play out from the back?

Ireland squad confirmed for friendly games

Martin O'Neill has selected a 26-man squad for the Republic of Ireland's international friendly games against France (Monday, May 28) and United States (Saturday, June 2).




24th May 2018

There are first senior call-ups for goalkeepers Shane Supple and Conor O'Malley, midfielder Shaun Williams, and forward Graham Burke. The trio of O'Malley, Williams and Burke featured for an Ireland XI in last week's testimonial match against Celtic.
Both Supple and Burke will balance training & matches with their respective clubs - Bohemians and Shamrock Rovers - with international duty.
Injuries rule out Darren Randolph (groin), Keiren Westwood (groin), Kieran O'Hara (ankle), Ciaran Clark (knee) and Sean Maguire (hamstring), while Callum Robinson is waiting for his international clearance to come through.
Defender John O'Shea will link up with the squad ahead of the USA game.
Republic of Ireland squad
Goalkeepers: Colin Doyle, Conor O'Malley, Shane Supple
Defenders: Seamus Coleman, Matt Doherty, John Egan, Shane Duffy, Kevin Long, Darragh Lenihan, Declan Rice, John O'Shea, Enda Stevens, Derrick Williams, Greg Cunningham
Midfielders: Callum O'Dowda, Harry Arter, Jeff Hendrick, David Meyler, Eunan O'Kane, Alan Browne, Shaun Williams, James McClean, Daryl Horgan
Forwards: Jonathan Walters, Shane Long, Graham Burke

Real chance for Burke. Squad is thin in parts but quite good given the circumstances.

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Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

Highlights from the testimonial against Celtic

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Was the Irish second goal an OG by the keeper? Hard to make out. Did it come off the bar on to the back of the goalie ?

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Originally Posted by OwlsFan

Was the Irish second goal an OG by the keeper? Hard to make out. Did it come off the bar on to the back of the goalie ?

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Yeah, looks like that to me too. O'Dowda seems to have been given the credit but if it was a competitive fixture I'd imagine it'd have gone down as an own goal. He was happy to claim it anyway! - https://twitter.com/CallumODowda/sta...766238721?s=19

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Originally Posted by Callum O'Dowda

Nice competitive friendly to mark a great achievement by @ScottBrown8 always feels good to grab a goal

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Looks like exactly the kind of squad you want to see in a May friendly. Mix of experienced heads and newbies who may or mayn't make the grade.

The concern is that it's an experimental squad by necessity and not by choice - i.e. this may be the strongest squad available to us at present - but let's roll with the positives for the moment!

While the France game would come too soon after the Championship Play-off final, could Hourihane and Hogan be called up for the USA game? We really need to have a look at them, especially if Villa go up.

Who is showing the France game?

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Originally Posted by IsMiseSean

Who is showing the France game?

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I'll have it on in my house if you want to call over!

RTÉ 2, coverage starts at 19:30, k/o 20:00.

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Originally Posted by liamoo11

I'll have it on in my house if you want to call over!

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Do I need to bring my own beer?

Alan Judge added to the squad

https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/201...ireland-squad/

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Originally Posted by joe_denilson

Alan Judge added to the squad

https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/201...ireland-squad/

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Surprised he wasn't in it in the first place. Before the injury, Newcastle were about to sign him. Hopefully he's well on his way back

Is there a match tonight? :)

Anyone prepared to guess the team? I haven't a rashers!

Doyle
Seamus-Duffy-Long-LB
Meyler-Rice
O'Dowda-Browne-McLean
Long

I'd probably pick Cunningham at LB myself but Williams and Stevens could both play there too. I'd like to see Doherty start so maybe put him at LB though I generally don't like RBs playing LB even if they do it at club level sometimes. I'd maybe move O'Dowda into Browne's position and play Doherty RHM.

But it could be anything...

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Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Is there a match tonight? :)

Anyone prepared to guess the team? I haven't a rashers!

Doyle
Seamus-Duffy-Long-LB
Meyler-Rice
O'Dowda-Browne-McLean
Long

I'd probably pick Cunningham at LB myself but Williams and Stevens could both play there too. I'd like to see Doherty start so maybe put him at LB though I generally don't like RBs playing LB even if they do it at club level sometimes. I'd maybe move O'Dowda into Browne's position and play Doherty RHM.

But it could be anything...

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Why do you call Coleman by his forename and the rest by their surnames ? Is he a personal friend :) ? Seen worse teams. Doherty has to start someplace

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Is there a match tonight? :)

Anyone prepared to guess the team? I haven't a rashers!

Doyle
Seamus-Duffy-Long-LB
Meyler-Rice
O'Dowda-Browne-McLean
Long

I'd probably pick Cunningham at LB myself but Williams and Stevens could both play there too. I'd like to see Doherty start so maybe put him at LB though I generally don't like RBs playing LB even if they do it at club level sometimes. I'd maybe move O'Dowda into Browne's position and play Doherty RHM.

But it could be anything...

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I think he will find a position for arter. could see rice played LB to accommodate this

I would like Conor O'Malley to start, we know what level Doyle is at and he is early 33

It's fair to say our record against France isn't great
last beat them in 1981, last beat them in France in 1937!
https://foot.ie/attachment.php?attachmentid=2686&stc=1

I never liked the rule that a victory over 90 minutes doesn't count as such if things change in extra time.

EDIT: or, at least, that there is no mention at all that the game went into extra time.

Agreed. We beat them last time.

This time though...

How many are left in the squad now? Can we expect everyone to get a run tonight? Or certainly between now and Saturday?

I'd be worried this will end up like the Portugal friendly before the last World Cup.

I have absolutely no idea what starting XI MON will go with tonight.

I'd like to see something like;
O'Malley
Coleman, Duffy, Long, Cunningham
Meyler, Rice, Arter
O'Dowda, Long, McClean

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Agreed. We beat them last time.

This time though...
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Well, last time was Euro 2016.
But I know what ya mean.
I think that Henry match should count as a win for Ireland

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Originally Posted by OwlsFan

Why do you call Coleman by his forename and the rest by their surnames ? Is he a personal friend :) ? Seen worse teams. Doherty has to start someplace

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He warrants the distinction!

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Originally Posted by Olé Olé

Real chance for Burke. Squad is thin in parts but quite good given the circumstances.

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If he goes 2 up front then you think that Burke might start along side Long. It’s a friendly so not like we need to go with one up front. It is O’Neill though, so we could end up with Long as the lone striker.

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Originally Posted by Fixer82

Well, last time was Euro 2016.
But I know what ya mean.
I think that Henry match should count as a win for Ireland

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Whoops!

Actually, I worry tonight could be like that match too, which was an absolute battering in all areas except the scoreboard.

But important to be aware that it is just an experimental friendly for us.

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Whoops!

Actually, I worry tonight could be like that match too, which was an absolute battering in all areas except the scoreboard.

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it was pretty even until the 60th minute when we completely ran out of steam having played only a few days earlier Vs frances 7 day rest after their last group game

We were getting thumped before half time in that one.

Once they realised - at half-time - that they had no need of a holding midfielder (Kanté) and made an attacking sub, we were utterly outclassed.

Only their ineptitude in front of goal kept it respectable on the scoreboard.

In my opinion

But tonight's a different game

https://i.imgur.com/wOGpLG7.png

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

We were getting thumped before half time in that one.

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Actually, looking back at the match thread here, we we well in it up to half time, but I think the change at half-time completely swung it, and comments at the time were that the equaliser - on 57 minutes - was coming since the break. So probably the truth is in between both our posts.

Anyways, who's on the bench tonight? Is it everyone else? So that'd be -

GK - O'Malley, Supple

DEF - Cunningham, Egan, Doherty, Rice, Lenihan, Stevens

MID - Meyler, Arter, O'Kane, Horgan, S Williams

FW - Burke

Too many for a full team swap, but would like to see 6 of that lot get a half hour at least.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Actually, looking back at the match thread here, we we well in it up to half time, but I think the change at half-time completely swung it, and comments at the time were that the equaliser - on 57 minutes - was coming since the break. So probably the truth is in between both our posts.

Anyways, who's on the bench tonight? Is it everyone else? So that'd be -

GK - O'Malley, Supple

DEF - Cunningham, Egan, Doherty, Rice, Lenihan, Stevens

MID - Meyler, Arter, O'Kane, Horgan, S Williams

FW - Burke

Too many for a full team swap, but would like to see 6 of that lot get a half hour at least.

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Amazing to look at that team - one ethnic French player, if I can use the phrase. Certainly only one French name in it (Giroud). All the rest are effectively from the African colonies - don't think any are more than first generation French.

Brave call on the bench by Martin
https://i.imgur.com/Car5Y7M.gif

14% possession ;)

Absolute men against boys. As expected really

Generally very good defensive shift about the best to be said about it.

Goal was coming, can't argue with it. Long looks very isolated up front.