Ireland v Ecuador - Match Thread

[passinginterest]

Have to agree with most of what has been said. Altough over the 90 minutes I might have given MOM to Murphy, he showed great awareness, great crosses, got on a couple of headers and fantastic workrate.

Potter was quiet first half and we were a bit overrun in midfield but he was outstanding second half, looked a touch of class. O'Hallaran made a great start, but not impressed after that. He got caught in possession and confidence just drained out of him. If he gets a run of first team football he could be an option though. I think Bennett was the more impressive CB, always looked like he might nick a goal from a set piece too. If he breaks into the Reading side he's a good option.

Doyle was pure class, definitely agree that we were missong a focal point when he went off. Hunt and Kilbane worked like dogs but not enough quality at times. Bruce not up to it at the moment, Kelly was OK, Keogh struggled at times but couldn't fault workrate.

One of the most entertaining friendlies I've ever watched. No danger of falling back to sleep anyway.

[johnnyc]

Very entertaining game - much better than the Champs league final!

Been a long time since I've seen such an open game. And has been said, it indeed was played at 100 mph. Some of the new lads looked like the real deal. Potter especially useful. I think the defence did well after a shakey start. Nobody disgraced themself and at the end of the day, believe it or not, this actually turned out to be a worthwhile friendly.

[old git]

Alex Bruce seems intent on grabbing the title of 'Worst Centre-Back Debut' from Paul Butler.

watched match live worst centre back debut a bit harsh.. he was very keen to play offside ... but i thought he got better as game went on made one great tackle in second half to stop a certain goal

was a good match to watch plenty of chances for both teams and end to end football . thought potter in midfield had a great game

[NeilMcD]

Yeah really enjoyed the game lastnight. Not once was I tempted to fall asleep or did I drift off. The pace of the game was unreal and very open game. Our defensive line was a shamble for about 30 mins and Bruce was leading the line but did not have the knowlege or the commanding prescence to do it. After the break that part of the game settled and they did not get caught over the top as much.

Potter was great in midfield. Exactly the type of player we need in my view. I saw him in Drogheda a few years ago in an underage game and I was impressed with him. A season of games at Wolves has done him the world of good and his passing and quick feet and vision were top class. His awareness of space in tight areas was also very good. Murphy and Doyle were the best up front in my view and both looked pretty good. Kilbane was patchy but when he was in the game he did play a Brady type pass to Long I think. The two full backs Kelly and O Halloran were solid.

All in all Potter, Kelly, C Doyle, Murphy, Kilbane, Hunt, K Doyle, should all be in the next Ireland squad.

[hoops1]

How did Bennett Play?

[NeilMcD]

Staunton hails 'pleasing' performance


Thursday, May 24, 2007

Republic of Ireland manager Steve Staunton expressed his delight after his young team earned a 1-1 draw with Ecuador in New York this morning.

Kevin Doyle's 44th minute diving headers cancelled out Christian Benitez's 13th minute opener as Staunton sent out seven debutants and added four more to the mix as second half substitutes at Giants Stadium.

Up to 25 players had withdrawn or were unavailable for the two game tour of America, leaving Staunton with only nine capped players in a 21-man squad.

"This was very, very pleasing. There were some excellent individual performances and overall it was a good team performance," said Staunton.

"We started a bit shaky, especially at the back but that was understandable as the lads have only got together a few days ago.

"In the second half I thought we coped much better and overall I thought we could have won the game. I'm delighted, especially as it was a difficult surface."

Staunton added that his youngsters, led by 78-cap veteran Kevin Kilbane, had equipped themselves admirably against a South American team warming up for next month's Copa America.

"I think Ecuador will be taking quite a number of those players to the Copa America and most of them played against Sweden in January so they have a lot more experience that we've had.

"I'm delighted with our lads because it just goes to show it doesn't matter who comes into the squad, they get on with it, give it their all and that's all they can do."

The Ireland boss said he was impressed by the way his side had fought to get back on level terms after Ecuador had sprung a disjointed offside trap to take an early lead.

He was also pleased with the goal itself that came just before the half-time break.

"The move was very good. It was a great ball in by Daryl Murphy and Doyler's done what good strikers are supposed to do, get across the line for a good header.

"It shows the character of the side, coming back from one-nil down."

The Ireland squad will today leave their New Jersey base of the last five days and head to Boston ahead of Saturday's friendly against Bolivia at Foxboro's Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts.

Reading striker Doyle was one of the players taken out of the action in the second half as a precaution along with Wigan midfielder Kilbane and left-back Stephen O'Halloran, with the Aston Villa defender being subbed soon after making an excellent sliding tackle to deny Benitez a scoring opportunity in the 69th minute.

"To be honest (O'Halloran) was just knackered," Staunton said, "and I took Kevin Doyle off with the Bolivia game in mind, particularly as it was a sapping surface and he's had a hamstring injury.

"Kevin (Doyle) needs to get a lot of football and we'll have to assess what the injury situation is with Kevin Kilbane for Saturday."
© 2007 ireland.com

[Sligo Hornet]

Yeah really enjoyed the game lastnight. Not once was I tempted to fall asleep or did I drift off. The pace of the game was unreal and very open game. Our defensive line was a shamble for about 30 mins and Bruce was leading the line but did not have the knowlege or the commanding prescence to do it. After the break that part of the game settled and they did not get caught over the top as much.

Potter was great in midfield. Exactly the type of player we need in my view. I saw him in Drogheda a few years ago in an underage game and I was impressed with him. A season of games at Wolves has done him the world of good and his passing and quick feet and vision were top class. His awareness of space in tight areas was also very good. Murphy and Doyle were the best up front in my view and both looked pretty good. Kilbane was patchy but when he was in the game he did play a Brady type pass to Long I think. The two full backs Kelly and O Halloran were solid.

All in all Potter, Kelly, C Doyle, Murphy, Kilbane, Hunt, K Doyle, should all be in the next Ireland squad.

Thanks for the comprehensive ( and positive ) report Neil...........couldn't watch the game this morning as no coverage ( that I could find ) this side of the water.

[NeilMcD]

Highlights on Sky tonight at 8pm if you are interested.

[shakermaker1982]

well done to the lads, I'm proud of em. Looking forward to watching the highlights tonight. I've seen the two goals and have to say Doyle's header was first class.

[Raheny Red]

Fell asleep when Gamble came on - how did he do? Thought Bennett had a decent game. The two goals were very nice finishes. Their lad Benitez was quality. Surprisingly it was a good game and very fast paced game.

[passinginterest]

Gamble did OK. Game was very disjointed when he came on so didn't get into it all that much. None of the subs really made a great impression. He did get on the ball more when he moved ito centre mid. I think he was the player taken down for the sending off when he threatened to burst through the middle.

[zenokelly]

To tell you the truth I was very disappointed with the whole back - 4 apart from O Halloran. He really looks like he has a future in the premiership at left back and especially for Ireland as we are so sparce in that position. He has the potential to be real class.

I can definitely see why Steve Bruce sold his son Alex at the start of the season. I have seen him play for Birmingham and Ipswich and he looks a very ordinary player and he just proved it last night. Looked off the pace when leading the line and didn't look comfortable all night with Benitez all over him.

i would give Bennett another chance as he hasn't been playing first team football for over 6 months. And Kelly I was just disappointed at his level of play.

Doyle looked solid in nets making a couple of decent stops and he couldn't really do anything about the goal. - premiership star next season I can see in him.

Hunt didn't have a great game. Murphy played well while on the wing. Keogh looked off the pace. Doyle showed a few flashes of class as we know he has. Kilbane played well second half until he was taken off.

But Potter was the clearly best Irish player. Haven't seen him much for Wolves but he showed last night why he was on Liverpool's books for so long. He looked a good passer of the ball and has the same sort of style as Andy Reid.

Potter and O HAlloran the only 2 to convince last night that they have a future at this level and Doyle will be a good number 2 to have after Given.

[Torn-Ado]

Is the highlights on the net??

[lionelhutz]

Admittedly i only saw the 1st half hour cos id to get up at 7 this morning, but murphy and doyle seem to gel very well together. Doyle really does look the part and his goal was a class finish. He's exactly the type of striker we've missed badly since quinn retired.

Murphy was also very lively and his first touch and awareness looked excellent. lets hope he's given a chance with sunderland in the prem and we can see for def if he's up to the stansard. I suspect he is

[Billsthoughts]

Have to say as a striker doyle is on a different planet to robbie keane...wouldnt be surprised if he got a move to a bigger club soon...

[NeilMcD]

Have you been watching the Premiership over the last 6 months. Keane has been the form striker in the Premiership and in my view was better than Berbatov over the last 6 months as he did not go missing. Both Keane and Doyle are on fire for their clubs at the moment.

[kingdom hoop]

I think he was the player taken down for the sending off when he threatened to burst through the middle.

Correct. A delicate touch to slalom between two players, or at least he was about to. I was sickened and taken aback to have literally just woken up at that point, 92nd minute, after missing the whole match and no post-match analysis then either. Disaster. Keep the reports coming lads. Sounds like Keogh was surprisingly disappointing, it's been a big season for him I guess.

[passinginterest]

Sounds like Keogh was surprisingly disappointing, it's been a big season for him I guess.

He was on the right wing and never looked comfortable. You could see he had a good touch and vision though. Didn't really get long enough up front to make an impression. Our back 4 was partly so exposed becuase Keogh didn't offer any defensive cover on his wing, although he did try, just didn't have the experience in the position.

[Cymro]

Good result there. 1-1 against a team that got through the group stages at the World Cup.

[sligoman]

Only saw first half and a bit of the second one. We played hoof ball all night by the look of it. Bruce is a real liability at the back and is a long way off becoming a regular international in my opinion.