As the colossus of Dublin Town, Aviva Stadium lived one of its most thrilling and contested matches in today’s friendly against the visiting Stars and Stripes, Team USA. For John O’ Shea was a very especial day by wearing the Captains armband for the last time and playing his 118th match for the Boys in Green.
With the Republic of Ireland playing its third friendly and at the same time being a sort of curtain call for one of their top defensive playmakers, for manager Martin O’ Neill he was aware that this was not to be a walk and easy affair.
As the man from the North despite the foe, his Green Army was playing against a hardened Yank squad seen as an all-around challenge for the home team and for sure the visitors were going to be a handful to the locals backfield.
That despite both squads not participating in the grand fete of football, still this match had all the elements of a serious and well-challenged contest for them.
Still the first half was to be a window for the Boys in Green testing their adversary’s defensive side and with an attacking prone 3-5-1-1 formation with a debutante in the Shamrock Rovers stellar Graham Burke behind Jon Walters leading the attack.
In the defensive threesome O’ Neill sent Shane Dufy, Kevin Long and as center back Captain John O’ Shea doing the honors to defend the posts of the Bradford City veteran Colin Doyle as the man from North Ireland was betting on experience.
In the opposing corner the Stars and Stripes interim manager sending to the field an initial eleven, averaging approximately 22 years of age, Dave Sarachan sent a 4-1-4-1 formation with a lone Bobby Wood in the attack.
Despite this was to be O’ Shea last match, the highlight of the Republic of Ireland starters was the starting debut of Hoops player Graham Burke, that after his amazing performance in the Green Army maybe he will open more doors to players from the SSE.
As the home field, advantage really played a big role in the Greens, with an early corner with just six minutes in the clock and being a sort of warning to the Yanks goalkeeper Bill Hamid seeing it too close. The play favoring the locals with a second corner kick and for the man of the hour missing what could been his fourth goal.
The Republic of Ireland was showing its authority with Graham Burke making a dash and sending a 30-yarder shoot that flew away and later a shoot sent by Walters missing the posts three minutes later. Another opportunity for the locals came in the nineteenth minute, when James McClean with a shoot missing the posts one more time.
So far, in the match the Green Army was showing off a lot of initiative and hunger to put this match away, still do not count the visiting Americans out as arrivals and intents of scoring via their top playmaker Bobby Wood.
As the second half was under way in the 46 minute despite the first half dominance by the locals, the Yanks were the ones that opened up the score with a nice volley by Bobby Woods leaving the Ireland defenders and beating goalkeeper Colin Doyle.
Still this match was far from over in the 56 minute with a rebound that Graham Burke got in his feet, the Hoops star just push the ball for the equalizer and sending the whole of Aviva into a frenzy.
The Americans, confidence growing but the locals looking forward to seal the deal for their man of the hour- to leave in a high note and a win, the Green Army in the 67 almost put the icing with a score but was recall due to an offside by the ref.
The game winner came with Alan Judge in the 90 minute scoring the go ahead and game winner for the Republic of Ireland leaving the Yanks stunned after that play well set and with a notable finish to deliver another historical win at home.
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