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Republic of Ireland v Netherlands

Republic of Ireland v Netherlands

Martin O'Neill's Ireland side begin their Euro 2016 preparations against the Netherlands in Dublin

Patrick Madden Sat, May 28
 
LIVE: Republic of Ireland v Netherlands

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  • Good evening!

    Welcome to our coverage of the Reublic of Ireland's first Euro 2016 warm-up game against the Netherlands at the Aviva Stadium.

    It is hard to believe but the European Championships are almost upon us. There are just two fixtures for a number of players to try and secure their place on the plane to France before Ireland's  opening game against Sweden on Monday June 13th.

    The Dutch are conspicuous by their absence from this summer's tournament, and while their current crop are far from a vintage one the Oranje will give Martin O'Neill a good idea of how  his squad is looking before the main event.

    What could prove to be a golden summer for Irish football and Irish sport begins here.

    And what better way to kick off the long weekend than Ireland playing one of world football's powerhouses in Dublin?

    Come on!

  • Tonight's squad and starting line-up a predictable balance between those who are surely nailed on to be starting against Sweden and those who will be looking to force their way in.

    A big chance inparticular for Bournemouth's Harry Arter, who forms a midfield three with Glenn Whelan and Stephen Quinn.  

    Aiden McGeady starts on the bench after being left out of Sheffield Wednesday's squad for tomorrow's Championship play-off final against Hull City. There's also a place among the subs for Dundalk goalkeeper Gary Rogers.

  • Back in the heady days of the 2014 Brazil World Cup, when they were thrashing Spain and Robin van Persie was soaring through the air, it would have been impossible to think the Dutch might not be present at Euro 2016.

    But they won't be joining the party in France after a miserable qualifying campaign. Their starting line-up includes a few unknown quantites, but Memphis Depay, Kevin Strootman, Georginio Wijnaldum and Virgil Van Dijk all start.

  • Martin O'Neill: "It's a chance first of all for a team that has been made up with players who you would think are likely to go and those who can still force their way into the 23 and need games."

    On Harry Arter: "This is an opportunity for him, he hasn't played here since he performed well last year against England. He starts in the middle of the field."

  • The teams are in the tunnel at the Aviva.

    Across town at Croke Park Bruce Springsteen will be in full swing. Let's hope Ireland can entertain like the boss tonight.

  • Anthems out of the way, we're moments from kick off.
  • And we're off!
  • 1 min: Early possession for Ireland. Seamus Coleman shows neat feet to skin Memphis Depay on the right before Harry Arter plays a ball down the right channel, Virgil Van Dijk is across well to cover.
  • 2 min: Early talking to for Arter after he catches Kevin Strootman. Fiery tackle for the start of a friendly.
  • 3 min: The Dutch settling now. Good run in behind Coleman from Depay but Willems long ball fizzes off the Manchester United forward's toe and it's out for a goal kick.
  • 4 min: Loose clearance from Robbie Brady is straight to Wijnaldum but the Norwich City man gets away with it.
  • Bit of news from elsewhere - England are in action against Australia and Marcus Rashford has just scored minutes into his international debut. What a story.

  • 6 min: The Dutch passing the ball well now and probing away with Ireland happy to sit. They're yet to find the killer pass though. Brady concedes a free kick on the right touchline and Promes whips it in right footed but it's well cleared.

  • Northern Ireland are also 1-0 up against Belarus, Kyle Lafferty with the goal.
  • 8 min: Promes nearly gets in behind on the right but Brady is across well to cover. Moments later a dangerous ball from Willems towards the back post is flicked clear by John O'Shea for the game's first corner. Shane Duffy heads clear and Arter can hook it away.
  • 10 min: Holland try a big switch from the left towards Depay but Coleman reads it well. It will be an interesting battle between those two tonight.
  • 11 min: Coleman plays it into Shane Long's feet but his Southampton team mate Van Dijk is on top of him straight away. Ireland struggling to get on the ball here.
  • 13 min: Goal kick from Darren Randolph misses everyone and scoots through for Cillessen to gather. Rather sums up the start of the game.  
  • 14 min: Another set piece for the Dutch on the nearside and again Duffy clears well. Depay has a man over on his right but his pass is well overcooked and it's out for a throw.
  • 17 min: Stephen Quinn reads a pass well in midfield and drives down the right channel. He has white shirts in the box and looks for Jon Walters at the back post but just overcooks the cross. First real opening for Ireland.
  • 18 min: And then Ireland's first shot in anger. Neat one-two between Arter and Brady in midfield and the Bournemouth midfieler drives towards goal and tries one from 25-yards but it takes a deflection and is easily gathered by Cillessen.

  • 20 min: Quinn slides in Long down the left and he drives inside and pushes it past Bruma who brings him down. Cynical foul and Ireland have a free kick. Concern over Long who has taken a blow to his right knee and has a deep cut. A big dollop of vaseline and he's on his feet again.



  • 22 min: Dangerous ball in from Brady draws Cillessen off his line and the Ajax 'keeper is forced into a dramatic dive to fist it away.
  • Long is back on now and he's fine to continue.
  • 25 min: Surging run from Veltman down the right but he's pulled back for a handball just as he's looking to slide in Promes.  
  • 27 min: Excellent, persistent work from Coleman on the right and he forces his way past Willems but his back to the edge of the box is cleared.

  • GOOOAALLLLLLLLL!!!!!!

    IRELAND 1 NETHERLANDS 0 (LONG 29m)

  • First corner for Ireland, McGoldrick found Coleman with a searching ball and the Everton man's cross was cleared by Van Dijk.  

    Brady fizzes in a typically dangerous corner and O'Shea meets it with a thumping header. Cillessen just about keeps it out but Long is there to scramble it home. Ireland's set piece threat in evidence there.

    30 MIN: IRELAND 1 NETHERLANDS 0

  • Terence John Husband Glory Days!
  • 32 min: The visitors looking to bounce straight back but Ireland are very organised and the Dutch can't find a route in behind. This sort of performance is the blueprint to success in France, the ability to soak up pressure and then take every opportunity up the other end.
  • 37 min: First real bit of class from Depay, cutting back onto his right on the left and whipping a good ball to the back post. Promes can't quite get his head on it and luckily for Randolph is doesn't sneak in at the back.
  • 39 min: Coleman cuts back onto his left and his cross is just too high for Walters. The Dutch clear as far as Depay on the edge and Arter flies through him with a rather over-exuberant tackle and gets a booking for his troubles.
  • 41 min: Freekick for Ireland just outside of the centre-circle and to the right. Brady looks down the middle but Wijnaldum clears well.
  • 42 min: Good build-up play from Ireland, McGoldrick showing good feet. Whelan looks into Long's feet and his flick is short of Walters. The Dutch can counter quickly through Depay and he tries to slide in Janssen but it's too long.
  • Just the one minute stoppage time coming up.  
  • 45 min: Brady with a free kick from the left but his otuswinger is headed clear by Van Dijk. The Southampton centre back is on hand again to clear Walters cross moments later.
  • HT: REPUBLIC OF IRELAND 1 NETHERLANDS 0

  • The teams are back out at the Aviva after 15 minutes of listening to the boss (Bruce or O'neill, you can decide).

    And we're back underway!

  • 46 min: It's as you were in the second half. Plenty of Dutch possession but Ireland sitting comfortably.
  • No changes for Ireland at the break.  
  • 48 min: Quinn gets clattered challengin for a high ball and Brady has a dangerous free kick to whip in. An excellent ball from Brady and Bruma gets there just ahead of Duffy. It bounces to Walters at the back post and his header across goal is easily gathered by Cillessen.
  • 50 min: Brady looks for the always willing Long down the left channel and he draws Bruma into the foul. Another dangerous set piece for Ireland. It's a low delivery from Brady this time and it pings Bruma's ankles and fizzes out for a corner.
  • 52 min: Brady with the outswinger and Duffy leaps above Bruma but can't keep his header down. Big chance that.
  • 53 min: Set pieces the name of the game for Ireland. Brady clips a long free kick into the box and Duffy heads it down to McGoldrick, who miscues his falling volley. Arter meets the bouncing ball with a good header to Walters, who knocks it back across goal towards Long but he is penalised for climbing all over his man.
  • 57 min: Depay cuts back inside delivers a dangerous ball to the back post but Brady shield it well from Promes and it's out for a goal kick.
  • 59 min: Things open up for Depay again as he cuts inside Coleman and he lets fly. Duffy stretches to block it and he's in some discomfort but gets up and can walk it off.
  • 62 min: That was Depay's last action as he's replaced by Watford's Steven Berghuis. His first act is to swing a free kick in from the right but Randolph reads it well and is happy to let it drift out for a goal kick.
  • 64 min: McGoldrick tries to play in Long and looks to have overcooked it, but Long turns the burners on and puts Bruma under a huge amount of pressure. The Dutch defender gets away with it though.

  • Official attendance of 42,438 tonight. Not quite as many as Springsteen but not a bad effort at all.

    O'Neill makes his first changes of the night, with Quinn, Long and Whelan replaced by Jeff Hendrick, Darron Gibson and James McClean. Looks like McClean will play centrally.

  • 68 min: Randolph called into action as Willems stands a cross up to the back post and Janssen nods it down at the back post. Strong right foot from the West Ham 'keeper though and the AZ striker concedes a free kick on the edge allowing Ireland to clear.  
  • 73 min: Good from McClean, tracking back to intercept and then showing good feet to get out of trouble and clear, drawing a foul in the process.
  • Another Ireland change, Wes Hoolahan coming on for McGoldrick. A decent shift from the Ipswich Town forward without ever being spectacular.  
  • 76 min: Angled ball towards the back post and new man Bas Dost rises above O'Shea but his header is wide of Randolph's near post.

  • 79 min: Corner for Ireland on the nearside and it's towards Duffy again and once again he has the beating of Bruma but his glancing effort wide of the far post, with O'Shea unable to get a toe on it.

    79 MIN: IRELAND 1 NETHERLANDS 0

  • And another Ireland change. Eunan O'Kane comes on for his Bournemouth team mate Harry Arter. Get the sneaking suspicion Arter will make the 23.
  • 83 min: Things almost open up for McClean down the middle but Veltman is across to recover well.

  • GOAL!!!!

    IRELAND 1 NETHERLANDS 1 (De Jong 84min)

  • The Dutch have the ball on the left and it's rolled back to Willems to curl in a beauty and new man Luuk De Jong peels off and glances a header past Randolph into the far corner. Frustrating.

    86 MIN: IRELAND 1 NETHERLANDS 0

  • 87 min: Excellent scheming work from Hoolahan in midfield feeds O'Kane but his through ball to McClean is snuffed out.  
  • 88 min: Chance for O'Kane as he seizes on a bouncing ball in the box but his snap shot is palmed away by Cillessen.

  • News from Northern Ireland, Will Grigg is on fire! He's just made it 3-0.

    Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na....

  • There's four minutes of stoppage time.

  • 91 min: Corner for the Dutch on the near side but Randolph is out strongly to fist it away, and wins a free kick in the process.

    Harry Arter has been named man of the match on his first start for Ireland.

  • 93 min: Ireland nearly force something late on as Brady plays McClean down the channel but it's cleared.
  • FT: REPUBLIC OF IRELAND 1 NETHERLANDS 1
  • Not a bad run out for Ireland at all, that.

  • Thanks for joining tonight. Emmet Malone's match report from the Aviva Stadium will be live shortly.

    Enjoy the bank holiday!