MX23RW : Friday, December 13 20:33:51| >> :120:27983:27983:
[monks data]
Attendance: 40,317
Republic of Ireland national football team
Euro Champ Qualifying | Group Stage
Mar 26, 2019 at 7.45pm UK
 
Georgia national football team

1-0

Hourihane (36')
FT(HT: 1-0)

Mick McCarthy heaps praise on Conor Hourihane after "special" winner

Glenn Whelan also played his part as he won his 86th senior cap.

Mick McCarthy saluted match-winner Conor Hourihane after seeing him fire the Republic of Ireland to the top of their Euro 2020 qualifying group.

The Aston Villa midfielder capped an impressive individual display with a superb free-kick to hand Ireland a 1-0 win over Group D rivals Georgia at the Aviva Stadium.

Ireland turned in a much-improved display after labouring to victory over group minnows Gibraltar by the same score on Saturday, and Hourihane, who has taken over dead-ball duties from Robbie Brady under the new manager, was singled out for particular praise.

McCarthy said: "Obviously, I'm delighted because his performance on Saturday was excellent, tonight his deliveries his free-kicks and corners were good.

"The goal was something special, wasn't it? I'm pleased for him because I've always believed in him and thought he was a good player.

"I tried to sign him, but we didn't have any money and he went elsewhere."

Republic of Ireland v Northern Ireland – International Friendly – Aviva Stadium
Republic of Ireland's Glenn Whelan salutes the fans (Lorraine O'Sullivan/PA)

Hourihane's cause was helped in no small part by the presence of vastly-experienced club-mate Glenn Whelan alongside him.

Eyebrows were raised when the 35-year-old was handed an 86th cap after his international career had appeared to draw to a close under last boss Martin O'Neill, but his poise in the middle of the field allowed those around him to prosper.

McCarthy said: "He was absolutely remarkable. For 35, it's a testimony to how well he has looked after himself. I thought he had a really, really good game. He started us playing and he broke things up."

The Republic dominated much of a game which was at one point halted briefly when fans protesting against outgoing Football Association of Ireland chief executive John Delaney threw tennis balls on to the pitch.

Play restarted with Hourihane's decisive free-kick, although it took a fine save in first-half stoppage time to deny Valerian Gvilia an equaliser and a post to keep out Jaba Kankava's late strike.

The win, coupled with Denmark's 3-3 draw in Switzerland, left Ireland clear at the top of the group and exactly where they hoped they would be with sterner tests to come.

Asked about the result in Basel, McCarthy said: "It was a good result for us. They might cut each other's throats and get a couple of draws, who knows?

"But we have to play other teams and beat them, so it doesn't bother me. I can't affect what they do."

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Republic of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy pictured on March 22, 2019
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Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Spain Spain870121
Q Scotland flag Scotland852117
3 Norway Norway832311
4 Georgia Georgia82248
5 Cyprus Cyprus80080

Group B

TeamPWDLPTS
Q France France871022
Q Netherlands Netherlands860218
3 Greece Greece841313
4 Ireland Rep. Ireland82066
5 Gibraltar flag Gibraltar80080

Group C

TeamPWDLPTS
Q England flag England862020
Q Italy Italy842214
3 Ukraine Ukraine842214
4 Macedonia N. Macedonia82248
5 Malta flag Malta80080

Group D

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Turkey Turkey852117
Q Croatia Croatia851216
3 Wales flag Wales833212
4 Armenia Armenia82248
5 Latvia Latvia81073

Group E

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Albania national flag Albania843115
Q Czech Republic Czech Republic843115
3 Poland Poland832311
4 Republic of Moldova Moldova824210
5 Faroe Islands Faroe Islands80262

Group F

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Belgium Belgium862020
Q Austria Austria861119
3 Sweden Sweden831410
4 Azerbaijan Azerbaijan82157
5 Estonia Estonia80171

Group G

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Hungary Hungary853018
Q Serbia Serbia842214
3 Montenegro Montenegro832311
4 Lithuania Lithuania81346
5 Bulgaria Bulgaria80444

Group H

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Denmark Denmark1071222
Q Slovenia Slovenia1071222
3 Finland Finland1060418
4 Kazakhstan Kazakhstan1060418
5 Northern Ireland flag N. Ireland103079
6 San Marino flag San Marino1000100

Group I

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Romania Romania1064022
Q Switzerland Switzerland1045117
3 Israel Israel1043315
4 Belarus Belarus1033412
5 Kosovo flag Kosovo1025311
6 Andorra flag Andorra100282

Group J

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Portugal Portugal10100030
Q Slovakia Slovakia1071222
3 Luxembourg flag Luxembourg1052317
4 Iceland Iceland1031610
5 Bosnia Bosnia H'vina103079
6 Liechtenstein flag Liechtenstein1000100


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