France vs Republic of Ireland: After the craic, it’s all about a crack at revenge for Thierry Henry

Jubilant: Ireland fans celebrate their team's victory against Italy
Clive Rose/Getty Images
Tony Evans24 June 2016

For 265 minutes of Group E, it looked like Ireland were at Euro 2016 simply to enjoy the craic. The headlines were all about their fun-loving fans even though Martin O’Neill’s team had been underwhelming on the pitch.

Then, with five minutes left in the final group game against Italy, Robbie Brady headed Wes Hoolahan’s cross into the net.

The noise almost blew the closed roof off the Stade Pierre Mauroy in Lille. The 1-0 victory meant the party can continue in the knockout stage and allow Irish supporters to make more friends with the locals.

On the pitch it will be different. O’Neill’s team are likely to take on the demeanour of a war party.

In Lyon, Ireland will face France for a place in the quarter-finals. The last time these two nations met was seven years ago in a two-legged play-off for a place in the World Cup finals.

With the aggregate scores at 1-1 deep into extra time in the second leg at the Stade de France, Thierry Henry controlled a free-kick in the Ireland area with his hand before poking the ball to William Gallas to score the winner.

Henry and Co went to South Africa, the losing team went home with a sense of grievance that lingers on today. Now a chance for retribution looms for the Irish.

Brady’s goal transformed Ireland’s campaign. They started with a frustrating 1-1 draw against Sweden and then produced a callow and somewhat cowardly performance in the 3-0 defeat by Belgium. With the tournament on the line against Italy, O’Neill changed his team and his tactics.

“For us, it was knockout football,” the manager said yesterday. The statement could be taken in more than one way. Ireland harassed an Italy side with nothing to play for and challenged their opponents to a physical battle.

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They were ambitious on the ball and dared Antonio Conte’s team to match their commitment.

The Italy coach talked of “a lot of powerful tackles” and said Ireland “put a lot of grit into the game”. It worked. On Sunday against France they will ratchet that aggression up a notch.

“There wasn’t a player out there in an Irish shirt that didn’t perform heroically,” O’Neill said. L’Equipe’s headline agreed: Ireland are all heart, the French newspaper declared. If France think that’s all that their rivals have, they will get a surprise.

O’Neill made brave decisions this week and they paid off. He made four changes from the team that faced Belgium, the most controversial being the relegation of Hoolahan, the side’s most creative player, to the substitutes’ bench.

When the playmaker was introduced with 13 minutes left, Hoolahan’s cameo helped turn the game Ireland’s way as he supplied the cross for Brady’s goal.

This was O’Neill at his best as the manager got the shape of the side and the psychology of the squad right. He will not need to ramp up the mood in the camp for the tie against France.

Five of the Irish players who were on the pitch for Henry’s handball are in O’Neill’s 23. The rest felt their nation’s anguish. They are delighted to get a chance to knock the host nation out in front of their own fans.

Didier Deschamps is uncertain about his best XI and the French public are ambivalent about their national side. On paper, France’s quality should tell. In reality Ireland have weapons that could worry their opponents.

Laurent Koscielny will not be looking forward to renewing his acquaintance with Shane Long. The bustling Southampton striker scored twice on Boxing Day as Arsenal were routed 4-0 at St Mary’s.

Long may not be the most technically proficient striker at the tournament but he combines relentless energy and unsettling physicality with an eye for goal.

French defenders will not be allowed to relax, especially if O’Neill repeats the tactic of quick, direct balls forward that so unnerved Italy.

The result on Wednesday nearly brought Roy Keane to tears. If Ireland can manhandle the likes of Dimitri Payet and Antoine Griezmann and knock the Frenchmen off their game, they have the chance to make the host nation weep.

The party will carry on over the weekend and the Irish hordes are loving their Gallic adventure. They came for the craic and stayed for a crack at France. Revenge would be very, very sweet.

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