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| Martin O’Neill’s Republic of Ireland beaten by well-organised Turkey | Martin O’Neill’s Republic of Ireland beaten by well-organised Turkey |
| (3 months later) | |
| The Republic of Ireland were still enjoying a honeymoon period under Martin O’Neill in the lead-up to Sunday’s meeting with Turkey, according to John O’Shea, but in their fourth outing under the new regime they were left with much to ponder by the well-organised visitors before Saturday’s meeting with Italy at Craven Cottage, losing 2-1 in a game that showed signs of life only in the final 15 minutes. | The Republic of Ireland were still enjoying a honeymoon period under Martin O’Neill in the lead-up to Sunday’s meeting with Turkey, according to John O’Shea, but in their fourth outing under the new regime they were left with much to ponder by the well-organised visitors before Saturday’s meeting with Italy at Craven Cottage, losing 2-1 in a game that showed signs of life only in the final 15 minutes. |
| How much could be taken from an end-of-season run-out in a half-empty stadium is debatable, yet the starting line-up selected by O’Neill served to highlight once more the dearth of new talent available to him. “I thought we created enough chances in the first half to win the game,” he said, before saying that the opportunity to have a prolonged spell working with the squad over the coming fortnight, unlike after previous games where they immediately returned to club duties, is hugely helpful. | How much could be taken from an end-of-season run-out in a half-empty stadium is debatable, yet the starting line-up selected by O’Neill served to highlight once more the dearth of new talent available to him. “I thought we created enough chances in the first half to win the game,” he said, before saying that the opportunity to have a prolonged spell working with the squad over the coming fortnight, unlike after previous games where they immediately returned to club duties, is hugely helpful. |
| “We will have a look at the game on the video because it is a good chance for us to work on certain things over the next few days. These fixtures have afforded us an opportunity to work with the players over the next few weeks and that’s a real upshot.” | “We will have a look at the game on the video because it is a good chance for us to work on certain things over the next few days. These fixtures have afforded us an opportunity to work with the players over the next few weeks and that’s a real upshot.” |
| He has promised to give all 29 members of his squad playing time in this four-game end-of-season spell, which includes games against Costa Rica and Portugal in the United States, but there was only one new face on show here. | He has promised to give all 29 members of his squad playing time in this four-game end-of-season spell, which includes games against Costa Rica and Portugal in the United States, but there was only one new face on show here. |
| Rob Elliot, who cancelled his stag party in Las Vegas to be available for his adopted nation, made his debut in goal and was called into action within 20 seconds, smothering a tame effort from Mevlut Erdinc. However, he might have been wishing he was on the other side of the Atlantic after being beaten too easily at his near post by Ahmet Ilhan Ozek’s 17th-minute header. | Rob Elliot, who cancelled his stag party in Las Vegas to be available for his adopted nation, made his debut in goal and was called into action within 20 seconds, smothering a tame effort from Mevlut Erdinc. However, he might have been wishing he was on the other side of the Atlantic after being beaten too easily at his near post by Ahmet Ilhan Ozek’s 17th-minute header. |
| Ozek, positioned smartly between Damien Delaney and Stephen Ward about 12 yards from goal, was afforded too much space and guided Gokhan Gonul’s teasing cross from the right into the bottom corner past Elliot’s reach. | Ozek, positioned smartly between Damien Delaney and Stephen Ward about 12 yards from goal, was afforded too much space and guided Gokhan Gonul’s teasing cross from the right into the bottom corner past Elliot’s reach. |
| Ireland had threatened two minutes before that, with Shane Long, playing as the lone frontman, denied by a terrific save from Onur Recep Kivrak and O’Shea seeing his subsequent effort hooked off the line by Caner Erkin. But the visitors looked comfortable for long spells as the former Liverpool midfielder Nuri Sahin dictated the tempo in front of the back four. | |
| James McClean headed wide on 26 minutes after a nice bit of work from Aiden McGeady and, although Wes Hoolahan did his best to fashion further opportunities, the home team created little of real note before the interval. | James McClean headed wide on 26 minutes after a nice bit of work from Aiden McGeady and, although Wes Hoolahan did his best to fashion further opportunities, the home team created little of real note before the interval. |
| Hoolahan endured a difficult season at Norwich, spending more time on the bench than on the pitch, but he was the brightest spark and O’Neill was impressed by his performance. “I thought Wes played brilliantly and tried to create things for us,” he said. “Overall he showed great determination to try and manoeuvre his way into positions. If we are going to unlock defences here at home, we need that type of ability.” | Hoolahan endured a difficult season at Norwich, spending more time on the bench than on the pitch, but he was the brightest spark and O’Neill was impressed by his performance. “I thought Wes played brilliantly and tried to create things for us,” he said. “Overall he showed great determination to try and manoeuvre his way into positions. If we are going to unlock defences here at home, we need that type of ability.” |
| There was a sign of more attacking intent after the interval but the Turkey defence were seldom troubled. A triple substitution shortly after the hour freshened things up, with Jonathan Walters lively when introduced, but Ireland’s general play remained frustratingly disjointed. | There was a sign of more attacking intent after the interval but the Turkey defence were seldom troubled. A triple substitution shortly after the hour freshened things up, with Jonathan Walters lively when introduced, but Ireland’s general play remained frustratingly disjointed. |
| There were shouts for a penalty with 15 minutes to go when Hoolahan went down a little softly and within seconds Turkey had doubled their advantage after slack defending. The ball was worked calmly from right to left where Oguzhan Ozyakup found Tarik Camdal with a neat pass after he drew three Irish defenders towards him. Camdal was given all the time in the world on the left side of the area and calmly struck the ball high into the net past Elliot. | There were shouts for a penalty with 15 minutes to go when Hoolahan went down a little softly and within seconds Turkey had doubled their advantage after slack defending. The ball was worked calmly from right to left where Oguzhan Ozyakup found Tarik Camdal with a neat pass after he drew three Irish defenders towards him. Camdal was given all the time in the world on the left side of the area and calmly struck the ball high into the net past Elliot. |
| It took that to coax Ireland from their slumber and Walters halved the deficit three minutes later with his fifth international goal when he turned Omer Toprak inside out and curled the ball into the right corner of the net following a delightful pass from Hoolahan. | It took that to coax Ireland from their slumber and Walters halved the deficit three minutes later with his fifth international goal when he turned Omer Toprak inside out and curled the ball into the right corner of the net following a delightful pass from Hoolahan. |
| Daryl Murphy had the only real chance of an equaliser with five minutes remaining but headed straight into the hands of Kivrak. | Daryl Murphy had the only real chance of an equaliser with five minutes remaining but headed straight into the hands of Kivrak. |