O'Neill Hails Match Winner McClean

From Macdara Ferris in Vienna

Ireland boss Martin O’Neill sung the praises of match winner James McClean after Saturday’s historic 1-0 win in Vienna.

The Derry player’s early second half strike against Austria earned all three points for the Boys in Green who made a massive move in their aim of qualifying for the World Cup in Russia.

“McClean was brilliant tonight,” said O’Neill speaking in the Ernst Happel Stadium after Ireland’s first ever victory on Austrian soil.

McClean had been a doubt coming into this match in Vienna due to a back issue but his hard work was rewarded with what O’Neill called “a great great goal. (It) came from a great move and then we were really strong defensively. I’m very very pleased naturally to get those points on the board.”

O’Neill was the manager who gave McClean his first Premier League start and has seen the player’s progression since their time together at Sunderland.

McClean added to his international goal tally – he has scored four times for Ireland this year – with a sweetly struck left foot goal after a sweeping Ireland move three minutes into the second half.

“If the game was Tuesday he couldn’t have played. I think that speaks volumes for him and the medical staff to get him back on the field. I’m delighted for everyone.

“I gave him his full debut. I saw someone in a reserve game who has a great desire. Over the last couple of years he has improved and he loves playing for us and that is very important. He is as proud as anything now.

“He has been excellent for us and has proved his worth. He is becoming a big player for us which is great. McClean has got a great great attitude. He is, at the ripe of old age of 28, even improving. He has been splendid for a long time.”

Harry Arter was handed his first competitive start and O’Neill was able to joke about putting to bed the tall tales that floated around previously about Arter switching allegiances to England.

“That was the great news tonight. He is now our player! That big story that developed and took flight a few weeks ago thankfully we have put that to bed.”

Arter had started in the central pairing of a midfield diamond until a change was necessary when Glenn Whelan went off injured. O’Neill went 4-2-3-1 with David Meyler coming on to play alongside Arter in front of the back four.

“I thought Meyler was excellent. Sometimes when you come on as a substitute it can take a length of time to come into the game. 10 to 15 minutes can pass you by but Meyler made sure that it wouldn’t do that. I thought he was great. Team selection is very important of course it is but players still need to go and

perform and we certainly did that this evening.”

The victory was Ireland’s first against Austria since 1963 but of more significance was getting a competitive away win in a qualifier against a team seeded above Ireland for the first time since victory away to Czechoslovakia in 1967.

“Naturally I’m delighted with the win. In terms of the achievement I couldn’t be more pleased with the team. There is a great resilience about the team and strength of character and they go right till the end. I’m genuinely pleased to have won the game and have ten points on the board from four matches but there is a million miles to go.”

With Serbia drawing 1-1 in Wales, it leaves Ireland top of the table going into the winter international break. They are two points clear of Serbia and four clear of Wales who come to Dublin in the first match of 2017. Austria meanwhile languish in fourth spot, six points behind Ireland.

See here for match report from the Ernst Happel Stadium.