This was not a night for drama, for bitten fingernails in the dugout or for fretting in the stands and, in that sense, there was no disappointment at the Aviva Stadium, but when the serious stuff begins in Georgia this weekend, Ireland’s final friendly international will be banished from the memory apart from its limited worth as a training exercise.
There was a decent result to go with it, clinched by goals from Kevin Doyle and Alex Pearce, but considering that Martin O’Neill omitted many of his established starters, little will be read into that.
Shay Given’s return to the fold was so uneventful as to be akin to another form of retirement, but the avoidance of calamity was one of the points of the exercise.
The occasion did not soar — the crowd was small, the opposition low-key and the team experimental — but O’Neill’s intention was always to provide his fringe players with some football and the manager will have been satisfied at Ireland’s endeavour, as well as with the dead-ball routine that brought them their opening goal in the 20th minute.
It was a straightforward intervention, an inswinging corner from the right delivered from Robbie Brady’s left boot, and a routine header from Doyle. The striker’s 13th goal for his country was not encumbered by significant defensive marking and there was a similar episode shortly afterwards when Hassan Al Ghailani cleared an effort from Pearce off the line.
Advertisement
Doyle’s goal was a sweet moment in a week of them, having joined Crystal Palace on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers on transfer deadline day. It is a move that has prompted delight from O’Neill, who does not have a surfeit of quality forwards and who must still rely on Robbie Keane for competitive fixtures.
The lead could have been stretched before half-time when David Meyler, the Hull City player fielded as a right back, spotted Ali Al-Habsi out of position and clipped a shot from just outside the area against the join of post and crossbar, but the Irish looked comfortable and the mood music remained positive.
Pearce added a second goal after 81 minutes, pouncing on the loose ball when another corner was knocked on by Richard Keogh.
Ireland (4-4-1-1): S Given (sub: R Elliot, 46min) — D Meyler (sub: D Murphy, 85), R Keogh, A Pearce, S Ward — A Pilkington (sub: A McGeady, 59), D Gibson (sub: G Whelan 70), S Quinn, R Brady — W Hoolahan (sub: R Keane, 59) — K Doyle (sub: S Long, 59). Booked: Gibson.
Oman (3-4-3): A Al-Habsi — A Al-Mukhaini, J Al-Owaisi, M Al-Musalami — S Al-Mukhaini, A Al-Muhaijri (sub K Al-Jabri, 60), E Al-Farsi (sub: A Al-Muqbali, 81), H Al-Ghailani (sub: A Al-Busaidi, 60) — R Saleh (sub: J Al-Mashari, 87), Q Hardan (sub: Y Al-Qasmi, 60), M Al-Siyabi (sub: H A Al-Hardi, 76).
Advertisement
Referee: I Spathas (Greece).