Ireland v Ecuador - RTE, 1am

eirebhoy

Might aswell open a match thread if people are staying up to watch this after the big match.

Team announced:

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Colin Doyle

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Stephen Kelly--Alex Bruce--Alan Bennett--Stephen O'Halloran
Daryl Murphy--Kevin Kilbane--Darren Potter---Stephen Hunt

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Kevin Doyle--Andy Keogh

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Replacements: Nick Colgan, Wayne Henderson, Joseph O’Cearuill, Peter Murphy, Alan O’Brien, Stephen Gleeson, Joe Gamble, Shane Long, Anthony Stokes.

Jonny Arson

I may watch this one to check out how these new caps do.

Joe Gamble must get on the pitch tonight

Badabing

Great chance for hunt to make left wing his own now that duff is out for ages.

Raskolnikov

Alan Bennett was a consistant regular performer for Cork City, never once got a look in for the Irish team.

He then moves to Reading and makes a grand total of 0 appearances, now he's starting in the Irish team.

Absolute, crusty ballcocks.

Bateman

I'm definitely staying up.

Anyone else fancy the overs?

bizmark

ill be up for this

eirebhoy

Raskolnikov wrote:

Alan Bennett was a consistant regular performer for Cork City, never once got a look in for the Irish team.

He then moves to Reading and makes a grand total of 0 appearances, now he's starting in the Irish team.

Absolute, crusty ballcocks.

I have to defend Stan here. Dunne, McShane, O'Shea, St Ledger, O'Dea and McCarthy would all be in the squad if available. Graham Gartland also got the call before Bennett. Bruce and O’Cearuill were already in the squad. That's 9 centre halves ahead of him in the ranks. If so many players pulled out of a squad 6 months ago he'd have probably got a call up then.

Bateman wrote:

I'm definitely staying up.

Anyone else fancy the overs?

Yeah definitely. I decided to go with overs instead of Ecuador as I really wouldn't be able to enjoy the match if my head was up for Ecuador but my heart up for Ireland.

applehunter

Bateman wrote:

I'm definitely staying up.

Anyone else fancy the overs?

What does overs mean?

Do you mean over 2.5 goals?

darkskol

After the liverpool milan final tonight i think i might stay up and hope i see something that cheers me up

applehunter

eirebhoy wrote:

I have to defend Stan here. Dunne, McShane, O'Shea, St Ledger, O'Dea and McCarthy would all be in the squad if available. Graham Gartland also got the call before Bennett. Bruce and O’Cearuill were already in the squad. That's 9 centre halves ahead of him in the ranks. If so many players pulled out of a squad 6 months ago he'd have probably got a call up then.

Well from my point of view Bennett was lucky to get any recognition when he was playing for City. He was constantly overlooked by the Dublin media when any team of the season was picked. So its amazing that he's got into the Ireland senior squad having played no first team football since November.

I'm interested to see how he'll do.

kaisersose77

wheres the yank who was gonna get a chance to play? Stan talking ****e yet again then. I cant wait to see that new young player called Kilbane, he meant to be new Zidane.

eirebhoy

kaisersose77 wrote:

wheres the yank who was gonna get a chance to play? Stan talking ****e yet again then.

Stan invited 4 American based players to train with the squad. Only 1 of them accepted the invitation. I don't even think he has an Irish passport.

Bateman

applehunter wrote:

What does overs mean?

Do you mean over 2.5 goals?

Aye. Over 2.5 goals. I can see it being a bit of a free-for-all.

redspider

Kilbane's last game?

One can hope ........

bizmark

jesus the quility of the picture is terrible

Chardee MacDennis

its like watching iit on youtube...

BaZmO*

When was this match played? 1972?

Bateman

Jesus, both teams going like the proverbial clappers so far.

fullstop

Great play by O'Halloran there, Doyle hits post

eirebhoy

Doyle hits the post.

How is the commentary keeping up with the video? It's seems like it's flying along.

Bounty Hunter

nice by O'halleran (sp) good to see a young Villan coming through

BaZmO*

Unlucky by Doyle, great build up play. Captain Caveman is playing well on the left so far.

fullstop

bizmark wrote:

jesus the quility of the picture is terrible

I thought that was my TV the pitch is shocking.

BaZmO*

Ah crap!

Bounty Hunter

o well, could be a lot of goals from the lookof things

Bateman

0-1
Benitez (El Nacional) 14'

gandalf

Jaysus I should go to bed, but its like watching a car crash in slow mo!!

fullstop

Balls. Poor defending there.

radiospan

The pace was unreal before the goal. O'Halloran had a great run for Doyle's chance, but got caught out bad in defence a few minutes later.

The picture is awful, it's like RTE haven't gotten a new NTSC converter since the eighties.

eirebhoy

Yeah terrible defending. Making for a good match though.

BaZmO*

plazzTT wrote:

The picture is awful, it's like RTE haven't gotten a new NTSC converter since the eighties.

I wouldn't say that RTE are at fault for the quality of the VT. I'd imagine that Ecuadorian TV have the rights and that they'd sold the feed onto RTE hence the poor quality.

MisterAnarchy

Jeez this game is end to end stuff,mighty
Does this count towards Fifa rankings ?

Bounty Hunter

MisterAnarchy wrote:

Does this count towards Fifa rankings ?

gotta assume so, though i wish it didnt

eirebhoy

What type of defender was Bennett at Cork? The leader of the line or the "follower"? Alex Bruce shouldn't be leading the line, he has no experience. Well unless you're a genius like Paul McShane.

MisterAnarchy

They only laid the pitch yesterday !!!!:eek:

Bounty Hunter

should have been 2

BaZmO*

Bounty Hunter wrote:

should have been 2

Yeah should have. At least there'll be one Benitez that'll remember the 23rd of May 2007 for good reasons!!!

Bateman

Kevin Doyle 1-1

BaZmO*

Great Goal!

fullstop

YEeeeaaahhh. great goal

eirebhoy

Where did that passage of play come from? Absolute quality goal.

Bounty Hunter

diving header, doyle 44'

gandalf

Ah feck it there goes the watch the 1st half and head to bed plan. Going to be sleeping in work tomorrow..........

fullstop

What a chance for keogh

fullstop

gandalf wrote:

Ah feck it there goes the watch the 1st half and head to bed plan. Going to be sleeping in work tomorrow..........

Thats what i had planned too. I still think i'll go to bed in a few minutes though!!!

BaZmO*

gandalf wrote:

Ah feck it there goes the watch the 1st half and head to bed plan. Going to be sleeping in work tomorrow..........

Haha. I had the same plan too!

Bounty Hunter

think most of us had the same plan, but its one hell of an entertaining messy match

eirebhoy

Potter has been the most impressive player imo.

As for going to bed, 3 or 4 hours is enough for me.

applehunter

Doyle and Murphy look dangerous with a big of ball.

Nothing much happening in midfield and look very shaky at the back. Alex Bruce and Benno should have a talk at half time cause they are not on the same wavelength.

fullstop

I like the half-time entertainment too!!

eirebhoy

Potter is running the show out there.