Monday, June 27, 2016

No break this time for the Republic of Ireland



The Boys in Green being down for the count several times in the past and prevailing with all around resilience and determination.  This time they had a twist of misfortunes that saw Martin O’ Neill Boys being ahead and dominant throughout the match, that at the end his squad endures a total meltdown.

Still the way this squad played in this tournament after netting their spot in a special playoff since the qualifiers and now in this edition of Euro sealing their ticket to the sweet 16 with a win once again over Italy.  Many saw the Boys in Green coming to today’s match in a state of no stopping them and a confidence as high the French sky.
These Republic of Ireland Boys have shown a fighting spirit and persistence.

The unfortunate side of the coin is that woman luck could not be with them today as well seeing their efforts and bravado in the early minutes of this match going down the drain after seeing a French squad determination and hunger being very visible and too much for the Boys from Erin.

After the Green Army started very strong and looking for the right moment and the way to beat the French keeper Hugo Llorius in this match. Suddenly after a play in the area and a Pogba foul clearly seen by both officials, not hesitant Italian Nicola Rizzoli awarded a PK to the Boys in Green with just 1.55 in the clock.

As Robbie Brady converted the penal and lifting his Green Army into the heavens of the round of eight as well possibly seeing another upset and netting another important win over a top-notch national squad in their French hosts. 

As Parc Ol in Lyon was a total Green madhouse as those one of a kind Irish fans never stopped chanting and supporting their boys in Green all afternoon long, despite seeing their squad setbacks at the end, still the support was always there!

As the game progressed and especially in the second half when the French came poised to make things happen in their cause, by a continuance of arrivals on Zach Randolph posts through Payet and a flying Griezmann who at the end became the key to his country win. Here is when the French Boss Didier Deschamps started the full pressure in the Republic of Ireland backfield and this became susceptible to the constant attacks of the French strikers that brought the weariness in the Greens.

Here is when the French took matters into their own hands and it is when Antoine Griezmann took advantage of the Irish backfield confusion to push the ball past Zach Randolph who despite his efforts little he did to stop that ball for the equalizer. 

Reviving the whole Parc Ol and painting in Blue with his first goal after his persistence paying off and no later in three minutes he scored what became the deciding and go-ahead goal.

One thing we saw in the Republic of Ireland in this and other matches of this event was their overall persistence and their will of getting up when they down in the canvas, fought off their adversities, and overcome the odds. 

Today after being down in the score, still the French armada tried in vain to widen their lead, Ireland backfield still delivered in the clutch, their unfortunate side was time, and their hopes of a revival in tier attack, became futile at the end. 

One thing at the end is for the Boys in Green Manager Martin O’ Neill his work and football exhibited in this Euro is worth a thousand words and applause for their overall hunger and winning attitude, still the next challenge will be the World Cup qualifiers.





Post Contents and Property of Fern Mc Costigan © Copyright All Rights Reserved

Photos Credit and Property of © Associated Newspapers LTD 2016

Photos Credit and Property of © Republic of Ireland Irish Football Association 2016






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