As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts on the action. Email paul@thescore.ie, tweet @Football_ie, post a message to our Facebook wall, or leave a comment below.
You may need to manually refresh for embedded content to display correctly.
Hello, and welcome to today’s liveblog. Here are the teams:
Ireland: Forde, Coleman, O’Shea, Wilson, Ward, Whelan, McCarthy, Quinn, McGeady, Walters, Keane.
Georgia: Loria, Lobjanidze, Kverkvellas, Kashia, Khubutia, Kankava, Daushvili, Gelashvili, Anaidze, Okriashvili, Kvirkvelia.
The scene ahead of kick-off…
And the Irish team are out on the field…
Some reading material for you ahead of the game…
- ‘I don’t remember the FAI saying we should give them a replay’ – 5 other times Ireland met Georgia
- Georgia-Ireland Betting Preview: O’Neill’s men to kick off campaign with a victory
- 5 talking points ahead of Ireland’s clash with Georgia
- O’Neill wary of Georgian heat ahead of qualifier
- 7 interesting facts about the Georgian football team ahead of their clash with Ireland
- ‘Hungry’ Coleman intent on helping Ireland secure spot at Euro 2016 finals
It’s finally here! Ireland’s first competitive game in the post-Billo era.
The three wise men are still here though. Dunphy describes the omission of Hoolahan as a sign of “insecurity and cowardice”.
He also says Ireland have “three outstanding Premier League players” at the back.
(FAI CEO John Delaney with former international Ray Houghton on the pitch ahead of the game)
John Giles also criticises the omission of Hoolahan, saying he should be in the team ahead of Whelan with Stephen Quinn on the left.
He feels a lot of managers haven’t really put faith in Hoolahan at club level.
Meanwhile, Brady says we should trust Martin O’Neill’s selection.
Martin O’Neill tells RTÉ picking David Forde wasn’t necessarily a difficult decision and emphasises that he made “no promises” to Given.
He says the “only problem” with Stephen Ward was that he hasn’t played much football, and focuses on his natural ability to play the position.
He also confirms that 4-5-1 with Walters on the right is the way that the team will play and also suggests the fact that Ireland are playing away impacted on his decision to leave out Hoolahan
“There is always the temptation to leave the small guy with the real class off the pitch,” says Dunphy of Hoolahan’s absence.
Just received this email from reader Michael Dunne…
“Watching the game from Saskatchewan, Canada. It’s been a long time coming and I’m looking forward to seeing what Martin and Roy come up with. COYBIG”
(Former Newcastle United team mates, Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given and Georgia coach Temur Ketsbaia)
We’re underway…
1 min: Great start from Ireland as Keane plays in Walters down the left, but his cross is well intercepted and put out for a corner.
It’s played in towards Robbie Keane, but the Georgians clear the ball away comfortably.
Quinn pushes the ball away from himself before going down rather easily to win a free kick.
The ball is subsequently played towards Robbie Keane, but his control lets him down and it goes harmlessly out for a goal kick.
Good work from McGeady before finding Walters, who puts in a tame cross while ignoring the run of Coleman.
The Everton star is clearly frustrated with his teammate’s decision.
10 minutes gone and Ireland have started reasonably.
They’ve had the better possession and Georgia have barely threatened, though it’s been a quite scrappy opening,
A bad high tackle from Khubutia on Walters wins Ireland a free kick in a dangerous position on the right.
Quinn floats the free kick in but Loria collects it easily.
Coleman dwells on the ball too long and ultimately gives away a free kick.
Not many midfielders were looking for the ball there — it’s situations like that where having Hoolahan in the team would come in handy.
18 mins: Ireland are having to play a patient passing game at the moment, as Georgia are flooding the midfield.
This could be a frustrating evening for the Boys in Green.
19 mins: McGeady shows good skill to beat his marker but his cross is cleared easily.
There isn’t much in terms of creativity in the centre of the Irish midfield right now, so the flanks may be the side’s best bet to find a breakthrough.
GOAL FOR IRELAND!
Ireland 1-0 Georgia (McGeady 22)
Walters wins a header before McCarthy plays in McGeady, who slots it home coolly.
Ireland just had a let off before then, with Gelashvili shooting narrowly wide.
Here’s a look at that McGeady goal…
31 mins: A hopeful pass is lofted up towards Keane, but the ball is shepherded out of play by the defender.
Shortly thereafter, Coleman beats his marker down the right before delivering a poor cross. The Everton man certainly has the beating of his opponent on that side.
GOAL FOR GEORGIA!
Ireland 1-1 Georgia (Okriashvili 37)
Ireland’s defence stands off Okriashvili and the midfielder unleashes a powerful strike into the top corner.
Georgia are level.
41 mins: That goal has given Georgia a boost.
They look the livelier team at the moment, while their opponents are appearing a tad lethargic.
Could Forde have saved this?
45 mins: There’s a break in play as Loria is receiving treatment after falling awkwardly before punching away a cross.
He looks okay to continue.
HALF-TIME: GEORGIA 1-1 IRELAND
Fairly scathing from the RTÉ lads.
Giles suggests McCarthy has been anonymous, while Dunphy says Quinn has been Ireland’s best midfield player.
McCarthy, in particular, seems to be attracting criticism.
He looks uncomfortable in the more attacking midfield role he’s been asked to play by O’Neill.
Roin Kvaskhvadze is on for the second half in place of the injured goalkeeper Giorgi Loria.
We’re back underway…
46 mins: Wilson knocks it up to Walters, but the goalkeeper comfortably collects his header on.
The 30-year-old Stoke man may be asked to play a more attacking role in the second half.
48 mins: Ireland are playing at quite a slow tempo right now.
Perhaps the heat is affecting their approach.
52 mins: Good spell for Georgia.
Ireland clear away a corner nervously, before Ananidze’s dangerous cross is well collected by Forde.
53 mins: Great ball in by Coleman, but the Georgian defender heads it away from the onrushing Walters.
The game is starting to get a bit stretched as both sides go in search of that all-important next goal.
56 mins: A curling McGeady free-kick has gone just wide.
Meanwhile, a number of Ireland players, including Long and Hoolahan, are getting warmed up.
59 mins: Good move from Ireland as Walters breaks free down the left and plays a looping cross towards Keane, but the LA Galaxy striker miscues his shot.
Time for a change or two surely.
62 mins: Ananidze has been replaced by David Targamadze for Georgia.
Meanwhile, McGeady has a shot that’s straight at the goalkeeper.
There’s been a loss of sound in Georgia but Twitter doesn’t seem too upset about it.
69 mins: It’s been a quiet last few minutes.
Ireland have passed it around a bit without really looking like scoring.
70 mins: Stephen Ward is down receiving treatment, while Shane Long is looking poised to come on from the sideline.
72 mins: Having started out looking to pass the ball as often as possible, Ireland are increasingly resorting to long balls.
Meanwhile, Wilson has just headed away a dangerous free kick for a corner.
74 mins: Whelan plays in McGeady — he beats his man, but his shot goes just over.
Meanwhile, Long and Brady are coming on for Keane and Quinn.
Looks like McGeady is going to play just behind the striker now.
77 mins: Promising move ends when Coleman woefully overhits a cross.
The Everton full-back’s final ball has been awful today.
81 mins: Poor from Long, who is well positioned, but then prods the ball too far ahead of him and it goes harmlessly out of play.
This has 1-1 written all over it by now.
84 mins: Patient build-up play from Ireland, but then Whelan puts it out of play when attempting to find Coleman.
Ireland do at least have Georgia pinned back in their own half now.
Whoops!
We couldn't find this Tweet
GOAL FOR IRELAND!
Ireland 2-1 Georgia (McGeady 90)
McGeady escapes his marker and curls it into the corner from the edge of the box.
Brilliant from the Everton star!
90 mins: In the midst of all that, Meyler came on for McCarthy.
FULL-TIME: IRELAND 2-1 GEORGIA
So that’s all from me for now — a good result despite a poor performance.
We’ll have more reaction to follow, thanks for reading and commenting.
