Different challenge awaits McCarthy's men after Denmark draw

Macdara Ferris reports from FAI National Training Centre in Abbotstown

After digging deep in Denmark to grab a late goal to earn a draw in Copenhagen, it is a different challenge that awaits the Boys in Green against Gibraltar on Monday night at the Aviva Stadium.

Republic of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy was full of praise for his team as they face into their next match after their fine start in their EURO 2020 qualifying campaign.

The point earned in Copenhagen kept his team top of the table after three games but as he said when speaking to the media in Abbotstown on Sunday, that won’t mean much if they don’t back that start up with a victory over Gibraltar.

“I just said to them actually that I’ve loved the three weeks together,” said McCarthy of the end-of-season double header. “The lads have been brilliant. It has all been great but it will count for nothing if we don’t win our home game. 

“I’m delighted with the players. I thought they were excellent against Georgia and were very good the other night against a very good Denmark side. We didn’t have as many chances as we did against Georgia but I didn’t expect there would be. I’m thrilled with them. They are a great bunch."

McCarthy’s first game on his second coming as Ireland manager was the difficult away game against Gibraltar played out away from home in gale force wind on a synthetic surface with Ireland taking a hard fought 1-0 win from.

“It is different to be favourites,” said McCarthy about Monday’s game against the Group D minnows. “Gibraltar will have some threat from corners and free kicks. As we saw [in Gibraltar] Darren Randolph pulled off a magnificent save that without it we’d have been 1-0 down from that corner kick. We will have to be careful.

“I’ve said that nobody is going to out-work us, out-scrap us or out-fight us. We have the quality that we can add to that. 

"I know I’ve had only had a few games doing this job [in his second spell as Ireland boss] but I’ve had 967 games I think as a manager.

"I’m fully aware of what goes on and how difficult the games are. I’m fully aware of how international football games are. Every single game is a real challenge.” 

Ireland followed up their away win in Gibraltar with a fine performance in the second group game against Georgia at home even if the 1-0 scoreline didn’t reflect the excellent play by the Boys in Green.

With a point from Denmark in the bag from Friday, the aim for Mick McCarthy’s men will be to hit the ten point mark come ten o’clock on Monday night. 

"I told you I would have taken a draw [in Denmark], but we didn't go and settle for a draw, we weren't looking for that. In fact in the 94th minute, we were the ones that looked more likely to score in the game. We went looking for a win and we have to back that up with a win. We are at home.’ 

Monday’s match will mark the end of the season for McCarthy’s squad (bar Bohemians goalkeeper James Talbot and Kristiansund ‘keeper Sean McDermott). The Ireland boss isn’t worried about fatigue for his players who have had to extend their season well into June following the end of their club season in the UK last month.

“Some players haven’t played for three or four weeks but it didn’t seem to have too much affect on them. They were all still running hard on 94 minutes. The spirit in the camp was evident when we equalised late on.” 

We are out @FAIreland HQ today to watch Ireland train and hear from Mick McCarthy ahead of Ireland’s game against Gibraltar on Monday night pic.twitter.com/M5EmdH9BdZ

— Extratime.ie (@ExtratimeNews) June 9, 2019