Advertisement
James Collins celebrates his goal. James Crombie/INPHO

Fresh faces make the difference as Ireland eventually see off Bulgaria

Goals from Alan Browne, Kevin Long and James Collins gave McCarthy’s side a deserved win.

Republic of Ireland 3

Bulgaria 1

THE ROADS AROUND the Aviva tonight wore billboards telling us that Guinness, ahead of the Rugby World Cup, were now the Official Partners of Belief. 

Who knew the latest ground the FAI had ceded to rugby was the official licensing of abstract nouns? 

Still, if the FAI want to get on board and do something similar – they might have earned a bit tonight by putting ‘optimism’ out to tender, coupling this win with the U21s’ dazzling showing in Sweden. 

There were five debutants in all – Josh Cullen, Mark Travers, Jack Byrne, Kieran O’Hara, and James Collins – with a trio of first-time scorers: Collins wrapping things up after Kevin Long and Alan Browne had earlier scored.

Plus, this result keeps Ireland unbeaten under McCarthy and tonight they scored three times in a match for the first time since doing so against Uruguay in June, 2017. 

Not that many of these good vibes were on show during the first-half, as Ireland huffed and puffed in trying to break down Bulgaria’s five-man defence with all the deftness of a Boris Johnson riposte at a Westminster despatch box. 

Things improved in the second-half as Bulgaria grew weary and McCarthy emptied his bench. Alan Browne poked in Ireland’s opening goal before the hour-mark, and although their concentration wobbled and allowed Bulgaria an equalising penalty 10 minutes later, goals within a three-minute span by Long and Collins gave Ireland a deserved win. 

McCarthy made 10 changes from the draw with Switzerland, with Conor Hourihane the only player to keep his place if not his position – as was flagged ahead of kick-off, he was given an experimental dalliance with the left-back position. 

Bulgaria, fresh from a 4-0 battering at Wembley, set up to claw back some semblance of dignity by not losing. Hence they set up with a flat back five, another four players parallel ahead of them, and poor Bozhidar Kraev ploughing one of the loneliest furrows this ground has ever seen. 

jack-byrne Jack Byrne in action. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

Ireland shuffled about in front of them, and twice Ireland’s centre-halves thoughtlessly hoiked the ball over them and across the end line, to ambient groans. 

There was a muffled pall over a quarter-full Aviva during the first-half; the air dense with a lack of expectation. Ireland’s best chance was a flicked header from inside the box by Alan Judge, having been picked out by Callum O’Dowda. 

Toward the end of the half, Ronan Curtis, growing into the game having taken time to get to grips with its physicality, whipped a ball that narrowly evaded a stooping Hogan. 

Curtis was at the heart of Ireland’s goal four minutes before the hour. Alan Judge’s slightly loose pass in midfield was rescued by some fleet O’Dowda feet, who passed the ball to Curtis on his left. Curtis’ shot was spilled by goalkeeper Hristo Ivanov, with Scott Hogan pouncing and flicking the ball square for Alan Browne, whose first international goal will be the easiest he will ever score. 

Ireland clumsily lost their lead within 10 minutes. Cyrus Christie was robbed of the ball on the edge of his own area, and set off a chain of panic that ended with Egan hauling down Kraev. 

Substitute Ivelin Popov rifled the penalty past Travers. While Ireland had the lead McCarthy gave further debuts to Jack Byrne and James Collins; Shamrock Rovers’ Byrne getting one of the biggest cheers of the night.

Byrne was centrally involved in the goals that gave Ireland victory. First he whipped a corner to the back post for Kevin Long to head to an empty net, after Ivanov went AWOL. 

The corner owed much to Collins’ bustling perseverance in winning it, and three minutes later he doubled Ireland’s lead with one of the most flowing moves of the Mick II Era. 

Byrne pitched a gorgeous pass wide left that sat up like an iron into an Augusta Green for Enda Stevens, whose first-time cross was steered into the roof of the net by Collins. 

This was an opportunity for the fringe players to impress McCarthy, and while little could be gleaned about the Hourihane Experiment – he was untroubled defensively and made few forays forward – Josh Cullen’s industry earned him the Man of the Match award while O’Dowda, Browne, Byrne, and Collins may crowd McCarthy’s thoughts ahead of the critical double-header with Georgia and Switzerland next month. 

You might expect a certain Troy Parrott to be amid that clamour too.  

Republic of Ireland: Mark Travers (Kieran O’Hara, 74′); Cyrus Christie, John Egan (captain), Kevin Long, Conor Hourihane (James McClean 66′); Alan Browne, Josh Cullen, Alan Judge (Jack Byrne, 58′); Callum O’Dowda (Enda Stevens, 74′), Scott Hogan (James Collins (58′), Ronan Curtis (Jeff Hendrick, 83′)

Bulgaria: Hristo Ivanov; Ivan Goranov, Anton Nedyalkov (captain; Vasil Bozikhov, 58′), Kristan Dmitrov (Vasil Panayotov, 79′), Georgi Pashov; Simeon Slavchev, Daniel Mladenov (Kiril Despedov, 66′), Georgi Milanov (Ivelin Popov, HT), Kristyan Malinov (Georgi Terziev, 80′), Nikolay Dmitrov (Wanderson, 58′); Bozhidar Kraev 

Referee: Tobias Welz (Germany)

Attendance: 18,259

Close
47 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Teadore Hungwell
    Favourite Teadore Hungwell
    Report
    Jan 20th 2020, 1:23 PM

    20 leinster
    8 ulster
    5 munster
    4 connacht

    The lads must not get petrol money to travel outside dublin to go watch the other 3 provinces,just goes to show where the development of the game going.

    61
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Johnathan Smith
    Favourite Johnathan Smith
    Report
    Jan 20th 2020, 1:46 PM

    @Teadore Hungwell: or Leinster are at a much higher level on developing youth talent.

    99
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute BMJF
    Favourite BMJF
    Report
    Jan 20th 2020, 1:59 PM

    @Teadore Hungwell: @Teadore Hungwell: you think the best U20’s haven’t been picked ? Is 20/37 that odd given the rugby population of the Leinster province (and the actual population of 2.6m)

    21
    See 5 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Teadore Hungwell
    Favourite Teadore Hungwell
    Report
    Jan 20th 2020, 2:22 PM

    @BMJF: agreed, can not be good for the overall game of rugby provincially though ,bit like where Dublin are now last few years with GAA

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Darren Byrne
    Favourite Darren Byrne
    Report
    Jan 20th 2020, 4:16 PM

    @BMJF: Ulster’s population is comparable to Leinsters, Munster has half the population of Leinster. Proportionate to population Munster are maybe 1 or 2 light and Connacht are doing better than would be expected. But Ulster should have more.

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Patrick Corrigan
    Favourite Patrick Corrigan
    Report
    Jan 20th 2020, 6:06 PM

    @Darren Byrne: but only recently are you getting catholics playing rugby in ulster, so while the population is not far behind, the rugby playing pop is (but that seems to be changing)

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean Fahey
    Favourite Sean Fahey
    Report
    Jan 21st 2020, 12:07 AM

    @Teadore Hungwell: I don’t understand this mentality. Leinster have an exceptional system, from the age of 8 a sizable portion of the population are playing rugby at a club or in their school. Leinster have invested heavily in schools, developing coaching, refereeing, providing technical expertise, investing in facilities, not least the superb facility at Donnybrook, there’s also the schools cup, one of the oldest rugby competitions in the world, the culture of the cup is to a schools player / supporter what European cup is at provincial level, the standard is better than anywhere in the world outside New Zealand. Then you have an academy system that is modeled on that of Man City including incorporating sports science. Leinster is an anomaly that elevates Irish rugby. Hardly a bad thing.

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute SomeGuy
    Favourite SomeGuy
    Report
    Jan 21st 2020, 6:40 AM

    @Teadore Hungwell: Seems to be a good few non Dublin Leinster players. Also, the coaches are mostly Connacht with Colm Tucker being Limerick. Stranger than the huge Leinster contingent is the zero Limerick players. Either a sign of limited population choosing hurling or poor development of youth in rugby.

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Johnny 5
    Favourite Johnny 5
    Report
    Jan 20th 2020, 1:27 PM

    Sean,
    Any chance the42 would break it down by position?

    34
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ormond
    Favourite Ormond
    Report
    Jan 20th 2020, 1:23 PM

    Thomas Ahearn is Dungarvan not waterpark. Played with dungarvan up until under 18s.

    25
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute kieran horgan
    Favourite kieran horgan
    Report
    Jan 20th 2020, 5:14 PM

    @Ormond: nice to see 2 Waterford lads in the squad. Good for Munster in the long term if the county is involved. Well done to all their former clubs & coaches

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Hakaman
    Favourite Hakaman
    Report
    Jan 20th 2020, 6:08 PM

    @kieran horgan: Been a promising development-growth for Munster in what some might call non-traditional rugby counties such as Waterford and Tipperary recently which is good to see.

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean Fahey
    Favourite Sean Fahey
    Report
    Jan 20th 2020, 2:57 PM

    Keep an eye out for Andrew Smith, plays 15 or wing, has scored some spectacular tries throughout age grade. Here’s a sample of his finishing:

    https://twitter.com/leinsterrugby/status/1170756649855979520?s=21

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul Kennedy
    Favourite Paul Kennedy
    Report
    Jan 20th 2020, 3:31 PM

    Soroka is Belvedere not Blackrock

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute nolamentor
    Favourite nolamentor
    Report
    Jan 20th 2020, 2:49 PM

    Does anyone why John McKee went from Campbell to Leinster – just curious..

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute TREVOR JOHNSTON
    Favourite TREVOR JOHNSTON
    Report
    Jan 20th 2020, 2:52 PM

    @nolamentor: Ulster viewed him as a prop but he wanted to play hooker. So he moved to Leinster.

    24
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tim Magner
    Favourite Tim Magner
    Report
    Jan 20th 2020, 4:07 PM

    @TREVOR JOHNSTON: I think Stewart is the better prospect anyway

    1
    See 2 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Christiaan Theron
    Favourite Christiaan Theron
    Report
    Jan 20th 2020, 4:58 PM

    @TREVOR JOHNSTON: That is very telling of where Ulster academy are in terms of developing players.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute RabidHorizon
    Favourite RabidHorizon
    Report
    Jan 20th 2020, 10:50 PM

    @nolamentor: Tom Stewart was coming through behind McKee. Stewart is heir apparent. Very grounded fella, should go far with his ability.

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Synchronised
    Favourite Synchronised
    Report
    Jan 21st 2020, 12:10 AM

    Actually 4 lads from the Exiles programme in the squad Josh Dunne (Connacht), Oran McNulty (Connacht), Hayden Hyde (Ulster) & Dan Kelly(Loughborough)

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Annaa69ix
    Favourite Annaa69ix
    Report
    Jan 20th 2020, 10:20 PM

    My hot photos are here…

    http://69-chat.club

    only 18+

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel