Rep of Ireland 1 - 0 Cyprus

Ireland are still on course to qualification for the 2010 World Cup, thanks to a 5th minute goal from Robbie Keane at Croke Park on Wednesday night. Ireland deserved the win but they did not have it easy with the Cypriots threatening on several occasions.

The Irish couldn’t of started any better when they took the game to the away side from the off. Damien Duff crossed from the right and the Cypriots defended like schoolboys when they were all sucked in and Robbie Keane was left all alone at the backpost to head in his 35th goal in 85 appearances.

Although Ireland dominated the early exchanges, Cyprus had an excellent chance with a quarter of an hour gone. Dimitris Christofi shot and it deflected off of his own player, Marios Ilia before coming off of Shay Given’s chest and Christofi then fire the rebound over the bar.

Two minutes later Damien Duff has a great chance to double the Irish teams lead. Aiden Mc Geady passed to the Newcastle winger but Duffs’ shot was saved by Antonis Giorgallidis. Glenn Whelan fired the ball over the bar a minute later but at this stage it looked like Ireland would double their advantage sooner rather than later.

The expectant crowd of over 55,000 were on their feet again when Aiden Mc Geady turned and shot from over 20 yards out but it was saved by Giorgallidis. Shortly afterwards, Robbie Keane shot but it was gathered again by the Cypriot goalkeeper.

Cyprus threatened again with almost a half hour on the clock. Ilia advanced down the right wing and his cross floated dangerously goalwards before Shay Given punched the ball away from danger. With 10 minutes left in the first period the Cypriots showed their weakness at the back when Constantinou sliced his clearance goalwards and Damien Duff looked like he would score until Ilia jumped higher and headed over. Duff then played in a corner that was volleyed over by Richard Dunne.

Cyprus were improving all the time though and having much more possession of the ball but the Irish still had the better of the chances. Kevin Doyle shot over from a very tight angle in the 40th minute and deserved a goal after a superb turn that beat the defence.

The Irish went in 1-0 to the good at half-time but the away side made a change immediately with striker Andreas Papathansiou coming on to make his debut and defender Lambros Lambrou coming off. This move meant a complete reshuffle by Angelos Anastasiadis. Ioanniss Okkas moved on to the wing with Charalambous moving back into the defence.

The Cypriots did improve and Ireland, despite being on top were still wary of the threat the Cypriots posed. Christofi had a shot blocked 5 minutes after the restart while Christofi then played in Makridis who won a corner.

Aiden Mc Geady crossed the ball in from the right with an hour on the clock and the Celtic winger almost caught out Giorgallidis in the Cypriot goal as the ball curled goalwards. Mc Geady had another great chance in the 75th minute when he shot with the outside of the boot but the ball went over the bar after some good work from Glenn Whelan.

Ireland continued to try and double their lead but they were still wary of the challenge Cyprus possessed and the away side were unlucky when they had a series of opportunities block and eventually cleared. The Irish broke quickly and the ball finally ended up with Duff but his effort raced across the goaline and there was nobody there to connect.

It ended like that though and Trapattoni’s men end 2008 with the a good foundation set in their quest to qualify for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Despite Italy winning, Ireland are most definitely the current world champions biggest rivals in the quest to top group 8.

Rep Ireland: Shay Given; Paul Mc Shane, John O’Shea, Richard Dunne, Kevin Kilbane; Damien Duff, Glenn Whelan, Darron Gibson, Aiden Mc Geady; Kevin Doyle (Caleb Folan 90+4), Robbie Keane, 
Subs not used: Stephen Hunt, Liam Miller, Andy Keogh, Andy Reid, Dean Kiely, Damian Delaney.

Cyprus: Antonis Giorgallidis, Dimitris Christofi, Elias Charalambous, Lambros Lambrou (Andreas Papathanasiou 46), Andreas Constantinou, Marios Ilia, Ioannis Okkas, Alexandros G. Garpozis, Michael Constantinou, Konstantinos Makridis, Christakis Maragkos.
Substitutes: Efstathios Aloneftis, Michael Morphis, Georgios Panagi, Kyriakos Pavlou, Yiasoumis Yaisoumi, Sofronis Avgousti.

Referee: Alexandru Tudor (Romania)

Attendance: 55,800

ExtraTime.ie Man of the Match: Kevin Doyle.

Images are courtesy of Gary Fox, Freelance Photojournalist who's work can be found at www.garyfox.ie or alternatively http://www.flickr.com/photos/gfox/