England 1 - 1 Republic of Ireland

Wednesday saw the end of an 18 year wait, as the Republic of Ireland went head to head (and toe to toe) with England in an electric Wembley Stadium.

First half goals were exchanged between Shane Long and Frank Lampard, as the Giovanni Trapattoni’s men hung on for what could be considered a famous draw.

Pre-match fears of a repeat of the scenes of 1995 were quickly allayed as the national anthems went off without a hitch.

The Republic of Ireland took the lead on 13 minutes, and it was football in its simplest form. Séamus Coleman received the ball on the right hand side and send in the sweetest of crosses. Shane Long timed his run perfectly, out-jumped Glen Johnson and the Tipperary man’s header sailed into the top corner of Joe Hart’s goal.

There was no mistaking what this meant to the Irish fans, and a deafening volcano of sound erupted from the Irish end, with green smoke billowing onto the pitch.

Ireland’s lead only lasted ten minutes, and the equaliser came from some sloppy defending.

Daniel Sturridge received the ball down the left, and advanced towards the edge of the area. The Liverpool attacker dinked a ball towards the centre of the box, where Sean St Ledger’s flailing leg failed to connect with the ball. On hand was “non-captain” Frank Lampard to control the ball and send a low placed shot past David Forde.

The equaliser temporarily shifted the balance in the stands, as the English fans began to find their voice again – but by the half hour mark chants of “You’re supposed to be at home” were ringing out around Wembley as both sets of fans took turns in increasing the decibel level.

As the half progressed, the home side, and in particular Theo Walcott, gave Stephen Kelly a torrid time at left back.

On 38 minutes, Walcott skipped past Kelly and saw his by-line cut back cleared by Coleman, then, minutes before halftime.

The second half started as the first ended, with Walcott terrorising down his flank. The half was only three minutes old when he found space down the right, but his cross was put over his own bar by St Ledger.

As the second half progressed, the play was punctuated by substitutions – England the worst perpetrators as Roy Hodgson began to unload his bench.

On 65 minutes however, they fashioned a good chance when Defoe played the ball to that man again (Walcott), at the edge of the Irish box. The former Southampton winger spun and saw his low shot pushed around the post by former Derry City goalkeeper Forde.

Ten minutes later, a bad tackle from Michael Carrick on Long gave Ireland a free kick in a dangerous position. Recently introduced James McClean stood menacingly over the ball, but this former Derry City player’s free kick went high and wide.

Ireland fashioned their best half of the second half on 78 minutes. McClean hung a cross in from the left, and when Foster failed to gather Walters saw his goal bound header blocked by an offside Simon Cox.

England nearly grabbed the lead on 83 minutes, when an attempted through ball from Wayne Rooney was deflected into the path of Oxlade-Chamberlain. The pacy Arsenal player bore down menacingly on goal, but the outrushing David Forde made himself big – sending the ball out for a corner.

If there was going to be a winner, it looked like falling on the side of Roy Hodgson’s men.

On 86 minutes, Jermaine Defoe turned spritely at the edge of the box, but man of the match flung his body in the way of his shot as Ireland hung on. Moments later Walcott found himself deep inside the Irish box, but his low shot from a tight angle was no match for the impressive Forde who made a reflex save with his feet.

That was to be the last chance of the game, and as the game entered the dying seconds of the game choruses of “You’ll never beat the Irish” resonated around the ground.

A friendly in name only, the game will have served as a confidence boost for Trapattoni’s men ahead of Sunday’s friendly against Georgia and the qualifier against the Faroe Islands.

England: Joe Hart (Ben Foster HT); Glen Johnson (Phil Jones HT), Gary Cahill, Phil Jagielka, Ashley Cole (c) (Leighton Baines 54); Michael Carrick, Frank Lampard; Theo Walcott, Wayne Rooney, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (James Milner 87); Daniel Sturridge (Jermaine Defoe 33)

Subs not used: Joleon Lescott, Jack Rodwell, Danny Welbeck, Alex McCarthy

Republic of Ireland: David Forde; Seamus Coleman, John O’Shea, Sean St Ledger, Stephen Kelly; Jonathan Walters (Conor Sammon 82), James McCarthy, Glenn Whelan (Jeff Hendrick 74), Aiden McGeady (James McClean 68); Robbie Keane (c) (Simon Cox 65)

Subs not used: Keiran Westwook (GK), Damien Delaney, Richard Keogh, Darren O’Dea, Paul McShane, Stephen Quinn, Darren Randolph (GK), David Meyler,  Robbie Brady, Andy Keogh, Wes Hoolahan.

Referee: Willam Collum (Scotland)

Attendance: 80,126

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Seamus Coleman