McAteer strikes as Hallgrimsson belatedly introduced to Ireland's 1-1 trademark

Irish Examiner

a day ago

International Friendly: Rep of Ireland 1 (McAteer 21') Senegal 1 (Sarr 82')
A first draw of the Heimir Hallgrímsson era is one he will extrapolate multiple minor victories from.
The manager with a symmetrical record of wins and defeats from his opening eight games at the helm got the performance he demanded against a side of similar standing to the top seeds Portugal in their upcoming World Cup qualifying group.
What he didn't get in his first friendly was the morale of beating the aristocrats, as eight minutes from the end, Ismaila Sarr ghosted in to cancel out a 21st-minute opener by Kasey McAteer.
He'd been belatedly introduced to Ireland's trademark 1-1 habit.
Teams don't rise to 19th in the world without possessing quality in abundance and proof the Senegalese were treating this trip to Europe as a 180-minute exercise was evidenced by them leaving a string of talent such as Nicolas Jackson and the pair of Sarrs, Pape Matar and Ismaila on the bench. England on Tuesday constitutes their priority.
The Premier League was among six top leagues across Europe where the Senegalese play, with the vast majority based in France.
Both Racing Strasbourg and Stade Reims had representatives but their Irish players, Andrew Omobamidele and John Patrick Finn, had to make do with places on the bench.
Hallgrímsson's idyllic plan to reach consistency of selection diminished once the World Cup draw predicated two friendlies instead of qualifiers in this summer window.
Granting Josh Cullen, Mikey Johnston and Finn Azaz an extended break after their Championship exertions robbed him of three starters but offered others scope to impress.
Hallgrímsson could still select what seems to be his preferred back five for this friendly, backboned by goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher who for the first time in his international career didn't have Liverpool attached to his name.
That the new Brentford capture didn't have a save to make until the 52nd minute said much for how Ireland had contained their illustrious opponents who'd won the African Cup of Nations in 2021.
They'd also amassed a sequence of seven clean sheets dating back 630 minutes to last September but it would last only another 20 minutes on their trip to Dublin.
McAteer was the scorer and it was a dividend of his explosive start on his first start.
Operating on the right, he struck that balance of drifting wide and cutting in, epitomised by the 14th minute chance he created by chopping from his right to his left for a cross that Jack Taylor arrived fractionally late to connect with.
Taylor was also sampling for the first time the joys of getting the nod, seamlessly slotting into that conduit between midfield and attack occupied of late under this regime by Azaz.
Ireland won the corner count by five to two in the first half and from the second – conceded by Antoine Mendy – they forged into the lead.
Jason Knight and Matt Doherty were still arguing from colliding trying at the back post from Will Smallbone's corner when Ryan Manning scooped the ball back into the centre.
When towering Nathan Collins flicked the delivery onto McAteer, his header was arcing towards the top corner until Yevhann Diouf pawed the effort away. First to react to the loose ball, however, was the Leicester City winger who showed brilliant control before swivelling to sweep a shot under the scrambling 'keeper.
A goal to the good, Ireland maintained their stride by retaining possession rather than aimlessly clear to opponents capable of inflicting punishment.
Doherty's sublime feign to release Manning down the left had the crowd of 32,478 baying for more goals but the Southampton man's cutback was blocked for a corner.
McAteer proved he could mix up his game too, scampering back to the other side to tackle Habib Diarra just as he looked to pick out a killer pass.
As the interval loomed, Diarra did succeed in giving Doherty the slip inside the box, only to slip himself, much to the amusement of the crowd.
Senegal trudged to the dressing-room frustrated by their sole chance coming inside the opening two minutes through an Irish player. Dara O'Shea unwittingly deflected a corner marginally wide of his own post.
The same Irish player gifted Abdallah Sima a sight on goal within 10 seconds of the restart and he was relieved to watch his effort skew well wide.
Inevitably, the side of superior prowess would respond in the second half but only after they survived a clearcut chance for Ireland to extend their lead.
A trademark interception by Knight two minutes into the second half allowed Smallbone to advance on goal. Rather than lay off for the unmarked Manning, he stung the palms of the goalkeeper with a left-footed effort. Manning did get a stab to the rebound, yet a touch took it around the near post.
Adam Idah has chased a lone furrow up top but an injury sustained by Taylor when making a tackle eventually led him to be replaced by Evan Ferguson.
Neither got much traction in the attacking third as the flamboyance of the guests increased with every substitute they unlocked.
With a better centre from Manning, Idah might have pounced while there was a penalty claim on the hour when a cross from McAteer struck the arm of Ismail Jakobs.
Otherwise, the Senegalese were the ones carrying the cutting edge. Sarr was only on as a sub when he followed in a deflected shot to spin his effort onto the post.
That was with 22 minutes remaining and a signal of what was coming.
Kelleher's resistance was finally breached with seven minutes left. Despite stooping low to repel Cherif Ndiaye's shot with his legs, fellow sub Sarr was on hand to tuck the ball inside the post.
Cheikh Sabaly then sent his diving header off-target and Lamine Camara's stoppage-time free-kick was blocked by the wall.
Calmness came after the chaos and satisfaction will linger while the countdown to Hungary on September 6 continues.
IRELAND: C Kelleher; M Doherty (J O'Brien 67), N Collins, D O'Shea, R Brady (L Scales 85); J Knight, W Smallbone (A Moran 81); K McAteer (F Ebosele 81), J Taylor (E Ferguson 58), R Manning (K Phillips 67); A Idah.
SENEGAL: Y Diouf; A Mendy, L Camara Mamadou (C Sabaly 77), A Seck, I Jakobs (E Diouf 85); H Diarra, I Ndiaye, K Diattta (L Camara 63); A Sima (I Sarr 63), A Diallo, B Dia (C Ndiaye 77).
Referee: A Ladeback (SWE) Attendance: 32,478