Ireland sit proudly on top of their World Cup qualifying group following tonight’s professional 3-1 win over group minnows Andorra at Lansdowne Road. The visitors took a surprise lead against the run of play in the 32nd minute, but Ireland hit back with two goals in quick succession from Kevin Kilbane and Mark Kinsella. Despite dominating the game and restricting the Andorran’s to that one first-half effort, Ireland only managed one more goal, captain Gary Breen calmly stroking the ball home from close range after Sanchez parried in the 76th minute.
Following their comprehensive 3-0 defeat in Barcelona last month the Andorrans arrived to defend in numbers, as expected, and even though blatantly under strength in the absence of both Roy and Robbie Keane, Niall Quinn and Kenny Cunningham, Ireland attacked from the kick-off. Sustained early pressure from McCarthy’s men failed to yield a breakthrough, and the 30,000 or so fans who braved the wet Dublin night were stunned into silence in the 32nd minute when Andorra defender Ildefons Lima was allowed a free header eight yards out to leave Shay Given helpless.
However, that was just the spur Ireland needed to get their evening going and Sunderland’s Kevin Kilbane, who has come under pressure for his low scoring tally for club and country, met a perfectly judged knockdown from Gary Doherty to finish with an excellent drive to restore parity two minutes later. And Doherty was involved again in the 36th minute when the Tottenham striker-come-centre-half struck the crossbar with a powerful header, and Charlton’s Mark Kinsella was on hand to turn in the rebound from an acute angle.
With renewed confidence Ireland upped the tempo, but Kennedy and Doherty both wasted further chances before half-time to leave the home side with slenderest of advantages at the interval. The second half continued in the same manner, with a red wall denying Ireland a clear sight of goal. Doherty’s physical presence remained a constant thorn in their side, but with a combination of resolute defending and an increased reliance on spoil tactics the visitors kept the Irish at bay until the 76th minute. Gary Breen, captain for the night in the absence of the injured Roy Keane, calmly slotted home the third after heroic goalkeeper Alfonso Sanchez could only flap away Harte's free kick under the considerable physical pressure of the leaping Richard Dunne.
Ian Harte hit the bar later in the game with a typical free-kick, and further efforts from the busy David Connolly and Matt Holland failed to increase their haul. Gary Doherty was deservedly named eircom Man of the Match following his all-action display and his contribution to the two first half goals from Kilbane and Kinsella.
Meanwhile, group rivals Holland recorded an emphatic 4-0 over Cyprus to move them to 11 points and joint second with Portugal, who lost 4-0 to France in Paris this evening. Both are now three points adrift of Ireland.
Filed by Shane Murray
