Fionn O’Dea
Staff Writer
The entirety of the crowd were thinking the same thing, “just keep it down”. When the ball fell to Jason McAteer, he did just that, rifling the ball into the top corner and sinking Dutch hopes of qualification. The sea of green in the stands erupted at once, knowing that they were witnessing something special.
While Ireland’s second leg play-off against Estonia might not have matched that day ten years ago in occasion, perhaps for the first time since, an outpour of emotion and satisfaction greeted the full time whistle at the Dublin 4 ground. The joy was of an altogether different kind to that that greeted McAteer’s strike. The result marks the end of ten years worth of frustration and heartbreak for the team and supporters alike.
Last Friday’s demolition of Estonia rid the affair of much of its significance though it did allow the players to play without the pressure of qualification hanging over their heads. Unfortunately, without that pressure, there was no sense of urgency about the side, no real determination to win the game. Fears of an anti-climax in the wake of Friday’s result were well founded as the home side played the game out in an unstylish manner.
In the lead up to the game, both managers attempted to play down the significance of last Friday’s game, insisting that they were to begin again from 0-0. The game was to remain scoreless until the 32nd minute, Stephen Ward firing home the rebound after Estonia’s stand-in goalkeeper failed to hold Kevin Doyle’s header. The goal made the tie safe, tainting the dreams of even the most optimistic among the 1,000 strong travelling support.The visitors rarely threatened in the first half, forcing only routine saves from Shay Given.
They did, however, dominate as the game entered the second half. Ireland looked lacklustre and gave the ball away cheaply on many occasions. Trapattoni must consider himslef lucky that his side drew Estonia rather than Turkey or Bosnia, a better team would have punished our failings much more effectively.
Estonia’s pressure culminated with an equaliser in the 57th minute, Konstantin Vassiljev’s strike surprising even Given in goal as Ireland’s record caps holder let the ball slip through his grip. The goal didn’t quite give the visitors hope but it seemed a just reward for the ground-breaking campaign that they enjoyed.
The game petered out without either side striving particularly for victory. Ireland subjected the Estonian goal to a barrage of half chances, with Robbie Keane, Damien Duff and Richard Dunne all threatening without finding the net. The introduction of Aidean McGeady for Stephen Hunt did inject some life into the side, though it was short lived.
Estonia, meanwhile, continued to try their luck from distance, Given parrying well from Martin Vunk’s turn and strike. Though Ireland looked vulnerable on the break, Estonia seemed fully aware that, for them, it was too little, too late.
Thoughts will turn quickly to who is on the plane for the finals. Fans all around the ground were seen to be scratching their preferred 23 man squad on the back of their match programmes as the full time whistle sounded, the capacity crowd rising to their feet to salute the team as they embarked on a lap of honour.
In the ten years since McAteer’s famous strike, we have seen Switzerland, Cyprus and Israel come to Dublin and
spoil Irish hopes. Once again however, soccer is the biggest show in town. Months of anticipation, flight-booking, bickering over selections and warm up friendlies await. The 51,000 crowd at full time put it best. “Come on you Boys in Green.”
