Northern Ireland's inadequacies were cruelly exposed by Turkey in their opening European Championship qualifying game on Saturday. It was an embarrassing performance and only the Manchester United midfielder Philip Mulryne emerged with his reputation untarnished.
Northern Ireland could not cope with the skill and pace of the Turks and might have lost by a much greater margin. Fortunately, the Turkish finishing did not measure up to their outfield play.
The side Lawrie McMenemy has inherited had a disastrous World Cup campaign, winning only one of their 10 matches. Now it seems the abysmal saga could continue in the European series, although maximum points from two successive home matches against Finland and Moldova may help alleviate the situation.
Northern Ireland created only one chance throughout a one-sided 90 minutes, a header from Iain Dowie flashing past the post. Otherwise it was a story of total Turkish domination.
The Newcastle United winger Keith Gillespie made only a minimal contribution, but at least there was no reaction from the ankle injury that had kept him out since April.
The home side broke the deadlock after 18 minutes when Gillespie lost possession. The ball broke to the full-back Abdullah Ercan whose 70-yard pass found Tugay Kerimoglu.
Stephen Morrow failed to get in a tackle, was beaten for pace, and the Turkish striker calmly lobbed the ball into the net over the head of advancing goalkeeper Alan Fettis.
The Turks' second came in the 47th minute from a Tayfur Havatcu penalty awarded after a Colin Hill foul just inside the box. Oktay Derelioglu got the third in the 58th minute after rounding the ponderous Hill.
Earlier the Northern Ireland substitute George O'Boyle had been struck on the face with a coin and Gillespie on the back of the neck by a plastic bottle when the squad came out to make their pitch inspection. A report has been sent to the UEFA by the commissioner Alexis Ponnet.
TurkeY: Rustu, Mert, Saffet, Tayfun, Alpay, Abdullah, Okan (Arif 87), Tugay (Oguz 75), Sukur, Sergen, Okray (Hami 78). Subs Not Used: Engin, Emre, Hakan, Hasan. Goals: Okray 18, Tayfun 49 pen, Okray 58.
Northern Ireland: Fettis, Horlock, Hill, Morrow, A. Hughes, Rowland (Quinn 45), Lennon, Mulryne, Gillespie (Whitley 73), M. Hughes, Dowie. Subs Not Used: Taylor, Kennedy, McCarthy, O'Boyle. Booked: Lennon.
Referee: R Wojcik (Poland).
