Ireland 3 Denmark 0

[James]

soccercentral

Five star performance from the Duffer


Damien Duff at full stretch against the Danes at Landsdowne Road
Republic of Ireland 3-0 Denmark

Mick McCarthy’s cup runneth over. Star performances from Damien Duff, Clinton Morrison and a lively half-hour from Colin Healy and a three goal win over World Cup qualifiers Denmark at Lansdowne Road.
The Irish boss may well have his plans laid for squad selection but it now looks like he will have to find a place for Morrison and Healy in his final 23.
But the man of the night was Duff – brilliant at all times and given a standing ovation when he left the pitch with five minutes left on the clock.
Duff lit up the first-half with a series of spell-binding sprints down the left touchline, the boggiest area of the pitch. Every time he got the ball, a buzz went through the capacity crowd.
His first run won him a free-kick in the 5th minute which Jason McAteer quickly dispatched in the direction of the Danish six-yard box. Ian Harte rose to meet it and his header bounced off Thomas Sorenson’s knees and was scrambled clear.
Four minutes later, Duff took on two defenders and left them in a heap before cutting into the box and passing backwards from the tramline to Clinton Morrison.
The Palace striker, looking strong, willing and quick, dug a shot out from under his toes and Sorenson reacted well to block with Robbie Keane loitering with intent a few yards away.
Morrison fired in another shot in the 15th minute which was again scrambled clear but there was no stopping Ireland four minutes later.
Duff jinked and twisted his way inside two defenders and floated a deft cross into the center where Harte – of all people – stood unmarked and in a position to head comfortably to the back of the net.
Duff took a breather after that and the game died a death, reduced to regular outbreaks of head tennis in the center circle and not much else.
The Danes never really got to grips with Ireland’s long ball tactics and only infrequently managed to break forward themselves.
Dennis Rormedahl had the best chance of the half for the Danes just seconds after he took the ball full in the face from Harte. A long-punt forward in the 40th minute gave the Brondby striker the chance to break into the Irish box but Dean Kiely dived full length to save brilliantly from a stinging shot.

Half-time
Republic of Ireland 1-0 Denmark

Unlike the friendly against Russia, McCarthy kept his hands in his pockets at half-time and left the eleven men who started on the pitch – a wise move.
After ten minutes of the second period, Ireland went two up and it was another dose of Duff dazzle which won the free-kick which led to the goal.
Staunton flicked a quick pas to Robbie Keane on the right edge of the box and the Leeds striker whipped in a wicked shot which flew in at the right angle.
That signaled the chance for McCarthy to make some changes and Colin Healy, Nicky Colgan and Stephen Reid came on for Kinsella, Kiely and McAteer in quick succession.
That briefly weakened Ireland’s shape but Healy soon made his mark, forcing his way through a crowded midfield and almost setting up Morrison.
But Denmark answered that with their best chance of the game – supplied by Cunningham when he totally fluffed a back-pass. But Colgan was off his line in a flash and got a topuch to the ball just as Erbe Sand seemed certain to score.
Minutes later, Staunton galloped forward and took a chance from 30 yards, the ball narrowly missing the crossbar.
And with a minute overtime played, Healy played a ball through the middle which was flicked on by Matt Holland and there was Clinton, unmarked and in pole position. His goal wrapped up a fine night for Ireland.
Teams.
Republic of Ireland
Kiely (Colgan 65); G Kelly, Cunningham, Staunton, Harte; McAteer (Reid 65), Holland, Kinsella (Healy 63), Duff (Dunne 84); Morrison, Robbie Keane (Connolly 76).

Denmark.
Sorenson; Rytter, Henriksen, Laursen; Jan Heintze (Jensen 81), Poulsen, Neilsen, Grankjaer, Rormedahl (Lovenkrands 67) ; Neilsen (Madsen h-t), Sand.

Referee – Brian Lawlor (Wales)
Attendance - 42,000

[Neil]

How about the spanner $eltic boys who booed a Dane who came on at half time because they thought he was Lovenkrands of Glasgow Rangers Scotland!

He turned out to be Madsen from Brondby!

VVankers.

[MikeW]

You'd think that if they were true Celtic supporters they'd know that the guy wasn't really a Rangers player, but then most Irish Celtic fans knowledge of football doesn't extend much beyond the words to Ole Ole! Twas an embarassment alright, don't know what can be done to stamp it out though. Maybe a ban on inbreeding might do the trick. Remember the furore up north when Neil Lennon was being booed for playing for Celtic? Well after tonight we've no right to critisize anyone anymore.

[joe]

Originally posted by scottyshedender
I suppose there is no point in me posting here cause hitler will delete it anyway,

well, i'm not going to delete it anyway, partly because i want to see neil's reaction . You see Scotty, Neil is the type of guy who gets into arguments with his best mates over City V foreign football, so i think your post is probably the ultimate insult to the man!

[pete]

At my first full international football game at Landsdowne last night (perk of living in the pale) & must say the atmosphere for 42k people wasn't great given we won 3-0. Been to a few rugby games there before.

Denmark were useless.
Pitch was embarishingly bad
Lansdowne is 3rd world standard ground & is so funny anyone thinks anything short of knocking to the floor would make it ready for euro 2008. Facilities inside & access in & out of would cause serious problems in an emergency.

I must say the booing was sad more than anything else. I didn't even know the name of the player let alone what club he played for. If people want to boo not exactely much can be done about but is sad to hear fathers shouting abuse in front of their children. Thankfully I didn't see a Celtic or for that matter other Uk club jersey inside the ground but they were being slod out side the ground.

btw don't think i'd have been inclined to pay 35 euro myslef for a stand ticket to a friendly in Lansdowne.

[Wizzard]

It's not just the Celtic booboys, I was there when the M*n U*d 'fans' were giving Jap Stam a hard time in Landsdowne, just cause he wasn't playing for their English club anymore.

[pete]

Suppose reminded me of the only other football game i saw at Lansdowne (Paul McGrath testimonial) on the weekend of replay to city fai cup final in 98.

Ireland played a Premiership selection was pathetic booing of ManU players & then cheering of some Liverpool players by sections of the crowd. Totally runind the game for me anyway.

[A face]

Originally posted by scottyshedender
my point is......."NEIL and MIKEW" are you both saying that you hate the Premiership too, and would not watch that on tele. Your saying tour totally 100% supporters of the eircom league? Id doubt it, your the kind of guys who are avid Man U fans id say so lay off people who support CCFC as well as Cellllltic!

Mike from Waterford .... i dont know but Neil, you are way off the mark Scotty. City through and through.

Originally posted by scottyshedender
YOU BADMOUTHING CELLLLLLLLLIC IS THE SAME AS WHAT THOSE FANS WERE DOING LAST NIGHT.IT WAS WRONG.

scotty ....... can you read that one again from me .... because you are either talking complete and utter sh!te or it is a typo.

I am in work right now so i cant get into this one but dont tempt me. Those plastic paddies were WRONG last night and you are WRONG to try and defend them.

[pete]

I don't see the difference between Galsgoq Celtic & ManU except for the sectraian s&*().

Maybe someone could enlighten me cos I thought I was at an Ireland Denamark game last night not an old Firm game!

[Éanna]

scotty, spend a few hours in the guys company and you'll find out very quickly that Neil does give out to people in Man U , Celtic, Arsenal etc jerseys........................... come to think of it, anyone NOT in a city jersey is running the risk of abuse around him

Strange as it may seem in this twisted little land of ours, there are people who are 100% totally devoted to the eL and no other league!

[James]

yea thats true, amazing the number of people that come over to cork every second sunday from liverpool and manchester and north london as well as the hoards of people from glasgow, just to see cork city play.. great for tourism in cork anyway..

now where did i put my ccfc pen , theres work to be done

[pete]

Originally posted by Éanna
scotty, spend a few hours in the guys company and you'll find out very quickly that Neil does give out to people in Man U , Celtic, Arsenal etc jerseys...........................

Scotty,
Neil commented on the Glasgow $eltic boyos dooing the Dane just cos they thought he played for Glasgow Rangers. Aside from what I was saying about that testimonial i've never heard 20k people booing a ManU or other players cos he plays for a foreign club team.