Republic of Ireland squad (v. Georgia, 11/02/09): Goalkeepers: Shay Given (Newcastle United), Dean Kiely (West Bromwich Albion), Keiren Westwood (Coventry City). Defenders: Alex Bruce (Ipswich Town), Damien Delaney (QPR), John O’Shea (Manchester United), Kevin Foley (Wolves), Paul McShane (Sunderland), Richard Dunne (Manchester City), Stephen Kelly (Birmingham City), Steve Finnan (Espanyol), Kevin Kilbane (Hull City). Midfielders: Aiden McGeady (Celtic), Damien Duff (Newcastle United), Darron Gibson (Manchester United), Glenn Whelan (Stoke City), Keith Andrews (Blackburn Rovers), Liam Miller (QPR), Stephen Hunt (Reading), Andy Keogh (Wolves). Forwards: Robbie Keane (Liverpool), Kevin Doyle, Shane Long, Noel Hunt (all Reading), Caleb Folan (Hull City). I have a feeling this will be another 1-0 win, with a highly stressful last 15 minutes or so. Like the Cyprus match.
Finnan hasn't kicked a ball in ages, and now McShane and Kelly are almost certainly out. Who will start at right back?
Caleb Folan has withdrawn. Georgia squad v Republic of Ireland (Feb 11): Goalkeepers: Giorgi Loria (Lokomotivi Tbilisi), Zurab Mamaladze (FC Zestaponi), Roin Kvaskhvadze (FC Zestaponi) Defenders: Kakha Kaladze (AC Milan), Zurab Khizanishvili (Blackburn Rovers), Lasha Salukvadze (Rubin Kazan), Davit Kvirkvelia (Rubin Kazan), Giorgi Shashiashvili (Sturm Graz), Alexandre Kvakhadze (WIT Georgia Tbilisi), Ucha Lobzhanidze (FCZestaponi) Midfielders: Levan Kenia (Schalke 04), Levan Kobiashvili (Schalke 04), Zurab Menteshashvili (FK Ventspils), Levan Khmaladze (Dinamo Tbilisi), Davit Odikadze (Gyor ETO), Luka Razmadze (WIT Georgia Tbilisi), Murtaz Daushvili (FC Zestaponi) Forwards: Alexandre Iashvili (SC Karlsruhe), Davit Siradze (Terek Grozny), Levan Mchedlidze (US Citta di Palermo), Georgi Merabashvili (Dinamo Tbilisi), Beka Gotsiridze (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk).
No sign of Steve Finnan for Espanyol today, I suppose that means he is not likely to be fit enough to line out vs Georgia. Eddie Nolan has been called up as cover - what does Sean St. Ledger have to do? Kaladze is a doubt for them. I just can't shake a bad feeling about this match.
First time at Croke Park... I'd like to go the game on Wednesday. Any suggestions on where to sit? Thanks bb
Hello, If anyone knows a stream for this match, could you please post it? I would love to watch it. Best of luck to Ireland.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/7880990.stm Hopefully Duff will continue his run of good form and Keane will put Liverpool behind him with a goal. Getting excited for this now. With Ireland playing at 7 and USA at midnight (UK time) my heart is going to have some serious blood pressure for 7 hours tomorrow.
Keane with 2 goals in a 5 minute span. Penalty probably not deserved but when you can get the lucky calls you take them. C'mon Ireland, hold on!
I think that call back of the 1st half goal was a bad call, so the pk evens out. Good for Ireland. Hope they hold on.
Man of the Match went to McGeady, but I thought it could just as easily have gone to Duff, both were great. Duff was putting in some dangerous crosses, but Georgia's defense was as resilient as it was in Mainz last September. Good result but a really tight game. 10 points from 12 possible is a great start, the next two games should be the real testers though, Bulgaria and then Italy. RTE highlighted Whelan at the end of the game, I think he made more incomplete passes than completed passes and gave the ball up a lot. Dunphy mentioned that 'other players *cough* Andy Reid *cough* should be in there instead. Either Dunphy or Graeme Souness mentioned that Steven Ireland is needed, state the obvious.