Andrews and Priskin on Target
Friday, 11th Nov 2011 21:40

Town midfielder Keith Andrews netted the first and ex-Blues skipper Jon Walters scored the second as the Republic of Ireland beat nine-man Estonia 4-0 in their Euro 2012 play-off first leg in Tallinn this evening. Elsewhere, striker Tamás Priskin was on target twice for Hungary.

Andrews, who was winning his 25th cap, opened the scoring for Ireland in the 13th minute with a header, his third international goal. Soon after the home side were reduced to 10 men.

After the break, former Blue Walters headed in his first full international goal on his first start.

Robbie Keane added the third when he rebounded an Andrews freekick, the Ireland skipper completing the scoring from the spot after the home side had seen the second of their two first choice centre-halves red-carded. Tuesday’s second leg in Dublin looks like being a formality.

After the game, a jubilant Andrews, who was named man of the match by Irish TV, said: "We've set our gameplan all week to get at their backline - and to get four away goals and a clean sheet is a fantastic result.

"There was only 10,000 in here but it felt like 50,000, they made so much noise. The country has been waiting for this for a long time and this bunch of players have come together well. It looks like we're off to the Euros now."

Elsewhere, Priskin netted his ninth and tenth full international goals as he won his 37th full cap in Hungary’s 5-0 friendly victory over Liechtenstein.

Photo; Action Images

Photo: Action Images

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leagueonescum added 21:50 - Nov 11 Well done Keith! Really pleased to see you guys there, always makes for a colourful tournament!
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h32 added 21:58 - Nov 11 Well Done Boys - Andrews, Priskin (2) and Walters ( the man who many said wouldn't make it after he left ITFC - WRONG !! ) all scoring tonight. Let me remind a few people - under the right Manager Priskin is quite capable of doing it for ITFC.
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Garv added 22:02 - Nov 11 So Priskin can do it against Liechtenstein.
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omuircheartaigh added 22:13 - Nov 11 Man of the match. Very good goal. Congrats to him. Big improvement. Opposition were dire.
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TP16 added 22:20 - Nov 11 Hoping this will give Tamas a confidence boost! As far as Andrews, what a player!
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chepstowblue added 22:29 - Nov 11 My gran scored the other 3 for Hungary tonite and led the line well,id pick her ahead of Tamas every day of the week! Perhaps PJ needs to buy half a dozen hungarians to help Tamas look even remotely interested in a blue shirt!
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h32 added 22:31 - Nov 11 chepstowblue - haha............
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Frase1987 added 22:50 - Nov 11 Why did people say we ripped stoke off? he was easily our best player..
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homer_123 added 23:52 - Nov 11 @h32 - Liechtenstein - over half of their international players ply their trade in the Swiss second and third divisions. Hardly ground breaking, earth shattering opponents...
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WarkyWonderLand added 07:55 - Nov 12 If we manage to secure Andrews permanently has to be made captain. Drive and desire, 2 things our current captain does not show. Coyb
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jas0999 added 09:11 - Nov 12

Andrews did well. The problem PJ is faced with - as identified by 90% of the people on here - is we have four similar players in midfield ... no pace, no width and all too similar styles. The question is; do we need Andrews? If so, who should we drop? For me, Andrews is the best of the bunch, but would mean dropping Bullard and either Bowyer/Leadbitter. With Bowyer injury prone (one of many injury prone has been's purchased by PJ) - it possibly sorts itself out - we need the WIDTH and PACE.

Does PJ know that though? I have no confidence whatsoever.

homer_123 added 09:25 - Nov 12

@jas0999 - pace is a misnomer. Pace is no good if you can't 1. retain the ball and 2. move the ball with pace - you can't fully exploit pace without those two factors.

If we don't learn to move the ball more quickly, we will continue to revert to type (i.e. long balls). What you will see is long balls into channels for the wide men to run on to - it will be about as effective as us playing long balls to Chopra and Scotland.

For years now, we have struggled when teams close us down - we have an innate inability to deal with teams that don't give us time on the ball. Until we combat this it will be irrelevant whether we have wide pacey wingers or not.

leagueonescum added 09:49 - Nov 12 Good point Homer.
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irishtim added 10:30 - Nov 12 well played keith euros here we come
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DiamondGezzer added 10:39 - Nov 12 WarkyWonderLand :- Have to agree on present showing. Also, drop Leadbitter, hate saying it about one of our players, but his performances have warranted it. Personally, I would have taken him off on Saturday instead of Healy.IMHO.
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CornardBlue added 10:57 - Nov 12

whatched Irish game on TV last night, Andrews controlled midfield for the Irish always asking for and getting ball. We must sign him permantly make him captain and let him control the team on the pitch.
If Jimmy Bullard does not like it tough luck he will have to get fitter for the team or move on.
I would sell Leadbitter in Jan and try and sign young left-side midfield player.

bobble added 11:19 - Nov 12 we should sell priskin to hungary
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llewej_tuo added 11:28 - Nov 12 walters was man of the match with andrews a close second .... both played great
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brian_a_mul added 11:31 - Nov 12

Andrews was very good last night, scoring a wonderful header and getting his free kick on target for Keane to score rebound. He tackled very well and overshadowed his midfield partner Glenn Whelan.

Walters did well in a big game and could put himself in with a chance of making the Euro squad. Thats 8 (or 9?) clean sheets in a row. No team will fancy playing this tough Irish team in their groups. What they lack in creativity they make up for in commitment and heart.

Lets hope we draw Engerland in the Groups!
(Houghton!!!......oh Yessss....)

tomisamos added 11:55 - Nov 12

I wish we'd kept Walters, one of those few players we've had over the past few years who ever had any kind of fight about them. Andrews is the same, though. As for selling our midfielders, nothing beats experiance, I'd back them to turn this around over expecting Carson and Martin to carry the team. When we did that to Danny Haynes it was too soon, he wasn't ready and he ruined himself (so pace doesn't always work...) and Martin really isn't that fantastic, and in any case he's played his best football under Jewell so he should know more I'd imagine...

Thanks Homer for giving a slightly more realistic comment. Managing a football team is different in real life to the internet.

bluewein added 12:40 - Nov 12 So we say well done to a bloke whos not officially our player, a guy who doesnt play for us anymore and a young keeper whos never made a first team appearence.... Yet Priskin will score 2 international goals and we'll just say it was crap opposition.... Nice to see where our loyalties lie then...
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charsfield added 13:03 - Nov 12 cracking header
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captaincrunch added 13:34 - Nov 12

A misnomer is something with an inappropriate name but pace was the right word for what Jas meant. I do agree that you need to have the ball to make use of that pace in an attacking sense. If you do not have the ball though pace can also be useful in getting back or chasing the ball.

You cannot have everything though and if you do swap a player for one with more pace, the chances are he will be lacking elsewhere or else he would be worth a lot more money and playing at a higher level. Pace is always a welcome addition no matter if you are playing defence, midfield or upfront. I think PJ just needs to get the balance right but its not as easy as a lot of you think. Injuries tend to ruin such a balance and you always need a plan B. The reason why PJ doesn't always pick the obvious team is because there is more going on than we realise. As a supporter you always like to feel that you know everything about your team but lets face it we can only see the tip of the iceberg.