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Slovakia national football team
Euro Champ Qualifying | Playoff Semi-Finals Route B
Oct 8, 2020 at 7.45pm UK
Národný Futbalový Štadión
Republic of Ireland national football team

Slovakia
0 - 0
Rep. Ireland


Duda (101'), Hamsik (114')
FT
(aet)

Hourihane (20'), McClean (48'), Duffy (68')
Slovakia win 4-2 on penalties

Stephen Kenny explains Aaron Connolly, Adam Idah withdrawals

Stephen Kenny explains Aaron Connolly, Adam Idah withdrawals
© Reuters
Alan Browne and Matt Doherty missed from the spot in Bratislava.

Stephen Kenny was left to rue the cruelty of football as the Republic of Ireland's Euro 2020 dream was torn apart in a dramatic penalty shoot-out in Slovakia.

Kenny, whose plans were disrupted shortly before kick-off when strikers Aaron Connolly and Adam Idah were withdrawn from the squad because they had sat too close to a member of the backroom staff on the flight over who later tested positive for coronavirus, saw his side very nearly win their semi-final in 90 minutes and again on extra-time.

However, they ultimately exited the competition 4-2 on penalties after Alan Browne's spot-kick was saved and Matt Doherty's came back off the crossbar.

Asked if luck had deserted Ireland, Kenny told Sky Sports: "I don't know whether you can say bad luck, but the players didn't deserve to lose the game. They gave absolutely everything of themselves.

"Their work-rate was phenomenal and their determination to try to win tonight and get to the final was very evident. It's just a cruel way to lose on penalty kicks.

"But I thought we defended really well all night, just that one block that Shane Duffy made off the line, we created some good chances and some good play.

"Some of the forward play – David McGoldrick was absolutely outstanding at times, so I'm really, really disappointed for the players, really, because they deserved better."

Browne had come closest to winning the game in extra-time when his shot came back off a post, but Conor Hourihane had earlier passed up a glorious 85th-minute opportunity after skipper Duffy had cleared substitute Lukas Haraslin's attempt off the line.

The Republic now face Nations League clashes with Wales and Finland before the players return to their clubs, but they headed back to Dublin wondering what might have been following the late reshuffle.

Asked about the absence of Connolly and Idah, Kenny replied: "We have different rules in Ireland than you have in the UK, they're much more stringent.

"They would be deemed close contacts to one of our non-footballing staff, but it was just very, very harsh that they were ruled out. They were perfectly fine, there's nothing wrong with them, but the two metre rule in Ireland...

"If they were in the UK, the would have been perfectly entitled to play, but Ireland has more stringent rules and we had to abide by the medical advice."

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Group A

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

Group B

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

Group C

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

Group D

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

Group E

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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

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

Group G

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

Group H

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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

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

Group J

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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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