Gibraltar dispatched with aplomb but now for the real challenge

It gives me no pleasure to say Gibraltar confirmed my prediction that they would be out of their depth and tactically inept on Saturday evening at Lansdowne Road.

But from an Irish point of view, it was a professional and efficient performance. The early goals in each half, created mainly from the penetrative passing of Wes Hoolahan, playing just behind Robbie Keane in his favourite number 10 role, combined with the direct running of James McClean and Aiden McGeady, made for an extremely comfortable win. But neither staff nor players will be fooled in to thinking that anything major has been achieved.

Yes, we won convincingly, but Gibraltar will run Andorra and San Marino close for the ‘Worst Team in the Euros’ award. They may well win the gold in that race.

There was no surprise that Martin O’Neill’s team dominated possession, but I was startled that Allen Bula’s team played such a high defensive line, too far from their own penalty area, by about 15 yards.

They also tried to pass the ball out of defence in stupid areas. The space behind their back four was exploited ruthlessly by Ireland’s attacking unit and Gibraltar’s lack of comfort in possession coughed up opportunities close to their own goal area. Bula and his team must become more pragmatic in their approach or the hidings will continue.

Attacking moments

But despite their limited ability, they had a few attacking moments in the game and neither John O’Shea nor Marc Wilson was at their best concentration-wise. The latter’s miskick in the second half, after pressure from Lee Casciaro, almost flew in to his own net. O’Shea was fortunate to get away with a sloppy foul in the penalty area in the first half, also on Casciaro.

Those lapses, with Joe Chipolina’s header from a corner magnificently saved by David Forde, and Darron Gibson’s goalline block from Robert Guiling’s near post effort, were sticky moments that would be punished by the Germans tomorrow.

David Meyler did nothing wrong defensively, really, to rule himself out of a possible start against Germany, in the absence of Séamus Coleman.

He was not as dynamic as Stephen Ward offensively, but that will not be a priority in Germany. Unfortunately, the overall weakness of the opposition provided little examination of his suitability for the task ahead.

Gibson and Jeff Hendrick cruised through the game, neither committing to getting ahead of the ball in attacking positions at any stage, although Hendrick’s surge through the middle did create a goal albeit one scored by the Gibraltar goalkeeper.

Both played some loose passes in the first half, and Gibson was over-narky in his reaction to mild opposition challenges at times, but he’s been out so long through injury maybe that was understandable.

Neither produced a gold standard performance that would be enough to say they should be one of Glenn Whelan’s partners against Germany but Hendrick’s show against Italy at Craven Cottage in May could give him the edge in the manager’s thinking.

I enjoyed seeing James McClean back to the swashbuckling style that brought him to prominence with Derry City and Sunderland three years ago. His movement and desire to get in to the danger areas were improved too, and it will be a big decision for the manager to leave him out after this display.

Hoolahan again showed exquisite almost Spanish-style skills and an eye for a pass to create and score goals. But he may be sacrificed again for an away challenge, as happened in Tbilisi when Stephen Quinn got his place. I understand O’Neill’s pragmatism in this decision, but Hoolahan can do little more than Saturday’s brilliance.

Renewed confidence

Although he didn’t score, McGeady played very well too and his timing of the pass for Keane’s first goal indicated improved decision making on his part. He certainly seems to have renewed confidence since joining up again with his old boss from Celtic.

But like the others in midfield, his defensive discipline will also be challenged against the Germans and despite his two-goal haul against Georgia, it was when he was defending in front of Ward that Ucha Lobzhanidze and the goalscorer Tornike Okriashvili provided trouble for the Irish defence. It will be crucial McGeady and O’Neill get the balance correct.

Saturday was another triumph for Robbie Keane. A 65-goal haul for the Republic of Ireland is remarkable in itself, but that hat-trick was important after three ineffective games in a row, without a goal either, against Costa Rica, Portugal and Georgia.

Shane Long’s lack of impact until now at Southampton has helped keep Robbie as the number one striker, even in the new sensible shape deployed by O’Neill in the last two games.

Will these goals and that record preserve his position for now? Quite a few others will be kept dangling, too, until O’Neill reveals his team late on Tuesday. Saturday was a complete doddle. Job done. But the real business begins now.