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Ireland's starting XI tonight. Nick Potts

Here's how we rated the Irish players in tonight's World Cup qualifier

The Boys in Green played out a 2-2 draw with Serbia.

Darren Randolph 6 - It was a busy night for Ireland’s number one, who didn’t have his best performance in an Ireland shirt. Made some decent saves but looked uncertain at times.

Seamus Coleman 6 - Ireland’s captain started despite the fact that he hasn’t played a single club game this season, and he was a little off the pace. Made a crucial goal-line clearance in the second half.

John O’Shea 5 - Another player who came into the team after a recent spell out injured, O’Shea has had better displays and got done by Tadic for Serbia’s first goal.

Richard Keogh 6 - The Derby County man made a timely clearance after a goalmouth scramble in the first half and had a decent game at centre-half.

Stephen Ward 6 - Did okay at left full-back before being replaced by Stephen Quinn on 70 minutes.

Glenn Whelan 5 - Ireland’s deepest-lying midfielder didn’t shield the Irish backline from Serbian attacks as well as he should have and picked up a booking.

Jeff Hendrick 6 - Burnley’s new man scored his first international goal after just two minutes, but struggled to really impose himself after that. Substituted on 76 minutes.

Robbie Brady 6 - Wearing the number 10 that Robbie Keane has held for so long, Brady had a hand in both goals with his set-pieces.

James McClean 5 - Worked hard tracking back but didn’t offer enough of an outlet going forward.

Shane Long 6 - The Tipperary native put himself about up front but had to feed off scraps for the vast majority of the game. One good chance in the second half that was saved.

Jon Walters 6 – Saw an effort saved and also had the ball in the back of the net, but it was ruled offside. Unlucky to give away the penalty.

Substitutes 

Stephen Quinn 5 - Got about when he came on but couldn’t make a bit impact.

Daryl Murphy 7 - Finally broke his goal drought with a well-taken header on his 24th senior appearance for Ireland

Ciaran Clark – Not on long enough.

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Coleman skippers Ireland as O’Shea starts in strong team to face Serbia

LIVE: Serbia v Ireland, World Cup qualifier

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48 Comments
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    Mute Darren Burke
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    Sep 5th 2016, 11:01 PM

    Fine margins all the same, serious point gained. Still can’t believe yer man hit the bar after Randolph’s fumble, and also to a lesser extenr that Ivanovic couldn’t convert when clean through

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    Mute Darren Burke
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    Sep 5th 2016, 11:03 PM

    Also, don’t think you can really give Coleman too much credit for that goal-line clearance, it was him not pushing out that led to the chance!

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    Mute An_Beal_Bocht
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    Sep 5th 2016, 11:17 PM

    6 is very harsh on Long, thought he was our man of the match, battled bravely all night on his own, and the corner for Murphy’s goal came from a ball he had no right to get to between two defenders, thought he gave them a torrid time from brutal service

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    Mute Bleep12345
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    Sep 5th 2016, 11:33 PM

    If Robbie had played like long tonight everyone would be giving out. Long did little enough.

    36
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    Mute gavin brett
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    Sep 5th 2016, 11:52 PM

    Hahaahha who cares away point in the bag

    40
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    Mute James Delaney
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    Sep 6th 2016, 1:04 AM

    Robbie us gone – Shud ave been gone years ago to give the younger lads a chance.

    30
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    Mute Martin McKenna
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    Sep 6th 2016, 7:42 AM

    I think Coleman is really poor for Ireland, left his man for their goal, played everyone on side for his goal line clearance and generally their threat came down his wing, don’t rate him as highly as most pundits.

    22
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    Mute TellingItAsItIs
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    Sep 6th 2016, 12:15 PM

    Long was my man of the match. Worked tirelessly and intelligently…something Robbie never did. The team performance doesn’t deserve a rating at all at all.

    4
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    Mute Trevor J. Coonan
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    Sep 6th 2016, 12:55 PM

    Brady

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    Mute Bleep12345
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    Sep 5th 2016, 11:35 PM

    Quinn was really influential when he came on and only gets a 5?!?!
    Was I watching a different game.

    140
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    Mute Delta Ball
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    Sep 5th 2016, 11:07 PM

    Just listening to K Cunningham on highlights programme. OMG does he even breathe…:he is non stop yap yap yap.

    89
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    Mute An_Beal_Bocht
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    Sep 5th 2016, 11:18 PM

    At this moment in time

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    Mute James Delaney
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    Sep 6th 2016, 1:06 AM

    Yeah like all the has beens, tryin to make a name 4himself in commentary. As for Jim Beglin & Ronnie Whelan – get rid of them.

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    Mute Conor Power
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    Sep 6th 2016, 7:13 AM

    Better to be a has been than a never was

    44
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    Mute John O'Sullivan
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    Sep 5th 2016, 11:08 PM

    We don’t have tactics of any note. Free kick anywhere…big men up…lump it up. Sit deep. There is nothing enjoyable about watching that type of football.
    I’m as patriotic as anyone but I couldn’t watch 90 minutes of that.
    Entertain us a bit please.

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    Mute Delta Ball
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    Sep 5th 2016, 11:11 PM

    The way the game has gone it’s no longer about entertainment….it’s all about getting points..:staying competitive in the group…then selling tickets and that’s the money go round.

    42
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    Mute Patrick Norton
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    Sep 5th 2016, 11:16 PM

    Taught the most entertaining moment was when Ronnie Whelan taught Jeff kenna was on the pitch, says it all really

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    Mute An_Beal_Bocht
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    Sep 5th 2016, 11:22 PM

    John, even Spain or Germany don’t go out to entertain, they go out to win, international football is not a show, it’s a competitive sport, go to the cinema if you want to be entertained. The rest of us will continue to support our country

    46
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    Mute John O'Sullivan
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    Sep 5th 2016, 11:28 PM

    I’ve seen your comments before and if I ever get to a stage in my life where I take your advice on what to do for entertainment, that will definitely be my rock bottom.
    Thanks for educating me re the ethos of successful teams.
    Goodnight poor mouth.

    20
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    Mute Roughan Mac Namara
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    Sep 5th 2016, 11:12 PM

    People who think we should be going to Serbia and bossing the game and playing it around all over the gaff haven’t a clue about the game or the standard of players we have in our squad. We didn’t play that great but that’s a great point tonight.

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    Mute L
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    Sep 5th 2016, 11:20 PM

    Nobody expects Ireland to be bossing the Serbians for 90 minutes on their own patch…long ball rovers for 90 minutes though is really stuff from the dark ages. Irish players when they play any decent standard of opposition just look technically inept.

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    Mute Patrick Norton
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    Sep 5th 2016, 11:04 PM

    Have to agree with most of those ratings, long and hendricks were at least a seven, really hope judge comes back strong and give arter a go. Austria and Wales are beatable

    55
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    Mute Trevor Beacom
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    Sep 5th 2016, 11:02 PM

    O’shea and whelan need to retire NOW. Dundalk are easier on the eye then trap 2

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    Mute Tom Sheerin
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    Sep 5th 2016, 11:48 PM

    Agree with you on that. Different level but one thing that has really impressed about Dundalk in Europe so far is how they are not afraid to play composed passing football. Even when they are under pressure against superior teams. When Ireland played with confidence today they really troubles Serbia. Unfortunately after each goal we scored we reverted to type. Serbia had 3 times more passes than us!!

    29
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    Mute running man
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    Sep 6th 2016, 7:37 AM

    Spot on there Trevor. O Shea is past it Whelan not at this level. Dundalk should have 3 players in this squad. O Donnell,Mcmillan and Horgan. Not too many of this Irish team would make Dundalk’s first 11 . They are actually a better team, very unlucky not to be in CL group stages

    10
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    Mute Joey English
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    Sep 5th 2016, 11:29 PM

    Coleman should lose a point for that goal line clearance, he caused the chance by playing everyone one! I couldn’t believe it when I saw that, especially from him!

    49
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    Mute ryan o sullivan
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    Sep 5th 2016, 11:11 PM

    It’s funny tho when we actually tried to play we were all over them, that Serbia were thier for the takin if O’Neil had made changes at half time when it was obvious we were gonna concede . He’s traps half brother , arter and hoolihan should have started ahead of whealan and ward Brady lb it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realise that. Randolph made 1 error in a muddy pitch he was are best player other than that

    47
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    Mute Turkish
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    Sep 6th 2016, 1:04 AM

    Then who would cover that dodgey defence. Whelan didn’t have a great game but its either him or McCarthy. If Arter played instead we would have conceded more than 2

    7
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    Mute Eugene Comaskey
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    Sep 5th 2016, 11:08 PM

    The Goalkeeper got Man of the Match, surely he should be rated better than 6. He kept them in the game.

    28
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    Mute sparky
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    Sep 5th 2016, 11:04 PM

    So what are your ratings supported by,playing away from home where it’s going to be hard for any team to get points, a pitch that was like a bog..but hey on yer scores we should win the wc..good result.

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    Mute Stuart Kelly
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    Sep 6th 2016, 1:32 AM

    Dundalk can play why can’t we, why do we play like the Flintstones I will never know

    12
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    Mute padraig
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    Sep 5th 2016, 11:30 PM

    This is a very poor team espicaly with whelan and ford also oshea not up to standard

    11
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    Mute James Delaney
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    Sep 6th 2016, 1:03 AM

    They were all crap as usual – 1 Nil Up & we f(k it up. When will we ever learn. 2Points lost tonite. The usual sambles.

    10
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    Mute Noel Ryan
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    Sep 6th 2016, 9:34 AM

    John Delaney , I’d rate zero. “Didn’t show up on the night”!!!

    9
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    Mute postmanbill
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    Sep 6th 2016, 12:10 AM

    Here we go, another brave performance, total rubbish, we got out of jail after scoring early why sit back, we should have gone all out for 2nd and we would have won. Might win in Georgia, and Moldova but if we play like we did tonight no chance of winning in Austria and Wales. Best we can hope for is play offs.

    8
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    Mute running man
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    Sep 6th 2016, 10:25 AM

    Why is it every team we play are better than us? Passing the ball seems ti be a big “no no” with this team.When they get it they just lump it forward hoping for lucky break.Having watched Dundalk and Cork City play some decent stuff, we then have to watch this rubbish.Houlahan,Brady and maybe Hendrick are all we have as players. If Keane was no.1 think he would give other players a shot.MON is not going to change his conservetive style of play at this stage

    2
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    Mute Conor Rock
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    Sep 6th 2016, 8:11 AM

    Find this far too critical. We got an away draw against a decent team on a terrible pitch and when we look back on this group we could see this as a key result like the Georgia away win last time.

    Still a huge level of unrealism from our media about the quality of a group of players who play for Stoke Burnley Sunderland Stoke and West Brom.

    6
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    Mute Robbie #23
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    Sep 6th 2016, 8:29 AM

    They were there for the taken last night that is a poor Serbia side. And as for the excuse that it was a poor pitch Serbia didn’t have a problem passing the ball on the ground. It’s O’Neill’s hoofball tactics was the problem not the pitch.

    5
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