Ireland's World Cup: limping to the start line or a golden opportunity?
Much of the chatter around this Ireland group has been positive in recent years, thanks to improving Six Nations results and a famous win over the Black Ferns. Yet with key players injured, last-minute call-ups from England and questions on the future of the domestic game, this World Cup build-up doesn't scream a team about to take off.
Irish Times contributor Louise Lawless joins Nathan Johns to preview the campaign.
Produced by John Casey.
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Shels can't afford to come out on the wrong side of another classic when they enter the last-chance saloon. Radomir Dalović had no choice but to be adventurous to not only save his club the ignominy of an upset but also his job. All bar two of his Rijeka team hailed from nations that emerged from the former Yugoslavia. The one he was most pleased about including was Toni Fruk. His red card in the Champions League exit to Ludogorets banned him for the first leg but the artillery of the visitors revolved around his repertoire. Shels needed everything to complete the shock, one of the reasons they applied the necessary upgrades within their rickety home venue to avoid moving across Dublin City to Tallaght Stadium. That would have facilitated a capacity of 9,000 but lacking the trademark hostility that guests are subjected to inside the compact Drumcondra home. Despite Uefa restrictions reducing the crowd to the 3,600 available seats, fans turned out early to build the atmosphere. 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Coote was first to react without replicating his strike against Linfield, fizzing his rebound wide. Martin's introduction offered an injection upfront for the Reds and just seven minutes in, he dashed clear from McInroy's pass. His unselfish cutback met the toe of Odubeko without the striker applying the necessary accuracy to keep it on target. Apart from in-demand Niko Janković firing a deflected shot into the arms of Speel, Shels were untroubled until another screamer of a goal swayed the tie away from their grasp. Joey O'Brien is entitled to be livid at the absence of pressure on Tiago Dantas when receiving the ball unattended but must credit the Portuguese, one of the two non-Baltics in the line-up, for floating a peach of a shot into the top corner from 30 yards. Behind but unbowed, Shels persisted into the dying stages. 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Chasing the tie, Rijeka got on the ball from the off to enjoy good early possession. But it was Shelbourne who raised the game's first talking point three minutes in. Wood's long ball dropped for the run of Ali Coote who got in behind Ante Majstorovic before falling over goalkeeper Zlomislic. Loads roars for a penalty were ignored by the Romanian referee while VAR were happy there was no infringement. WHAT A GOAL FROM TONI FRUK!!! — Croatian Football (@CroatiaFooty) Shelbourne were further miffed at the other end minutes later when Fruk went down a little too easily from Paddy Barrett's slight touch. The wall did its job from Fruk's driven free-kick with Tiago Dantas drilling the rebound wide. Rijeka maintained their dominance of the ball as Shelbourne defended en bloc, Kerr McInroy epitomising their tenacity with a brave block on a shot from Fruk. 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Rijeka soon got back on the ball, Petrovic heading narrowly wide from another Jankovic corner while Speel got down to hold a shot from Dantas, as Shelbourne held on for the half-time whistle. WRAP IT UP! WE HAVE GOAL OF THE SEASON ALREADY! TIAGO DANTAS! — Croatian Football (@CroatiaFooty) Last week's match-winner Martin replaced Coote for the second half as Shelbourne went with two up top. And it brought another real home chance seven minutes in. McInroy's long ball found the run of Martin whose cross into the near post saw Odubeko shoot just wide, albeit under pressure from Mladen Devetak. While the direct approach was bringing Shelbourne more of the ball in the final third, Rijeka countered dangerously, Jankovic working Speel while Fruk curled a shot wide before Dantas then made it 2-0 on 72 minutes with another sublime goal. With Shelbourne guilty of giving him too much time and space some 35 yards out, the Portuguese midfielder collected Devetak's pass, took a touch and unleashed a cracking right foot shot that arrowed to Speel's top left corner before the real drama arrived late on. Shelbourne: Speel; Mbeng, Bone, Barrett, Ledwidge, Norris (Caffrey, 79); McInroy (Kelly, 90+1), Lunney (Chapman, 79); Wood, Coote (Martin, h-t); Odubeko. HNK Rijeka: Zlomislic; Orec, Majstorovic Radeljic, Devetak; Petrovic, Dantas (Kreilach, 90+1); Ndockyt (Menalo, 90+4), Fruk, Jankovic; Juric (Lasickas, 75). Referee: Marian Bardu (Romania).
