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International friendly: Poland v Ireland

International friendly: Poland v Ireland

Martin O'Neill's men look to end a miserable international window on a high note in Wroclaw

Patrick Madden Tue, Sep 11
 
LIVE: International friendly: Poland v Ireland

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  • Good evening!

    Welcome to our coverage of Ireland's friendly clash with Poland in Wroclaw (kick-off 7.45pm).

    Tonight sees Martin O'Neill's men round off what has been a particularly miserable international break with a trip to the biggest city in western Poland.

    If a skeleton Ireland side being thrashed 4-1 in their Nations League opener in Cardiff last Thursday wasn't bad enough, things have been even more desparate off the pitch.

    This is largely because Stephen Ward's mates broke the sanctity of the Whatsapp group, and leaked the not so grisly details of Roy Keane's spat with Jon Walters and Harry Arter.

    At least it's given everybody something to speak about between two largely unremarkable fixtures.

    The introduction of the Nations League was supposed to signal the end of the meaningless friendly - however that is exactly what we have to look forward to here.

    Although with a host of injuries to key players - including captain Seamus Coleman - a few new faces have the chance to impress and give O'Neill something to smile about on the journey back west.

    We'll be bringing you all of the action throughout the evening - here's hoping it's a good one.

    Come on!!!

  • Team news:

    Poland: Szczesny; Kedziora, Glik, Kaminski, Reca; Blaszczykowski, Krychowiak, Linetty, Kurzawa; Milik, Piatek. Subs: Skorupski, Pietrzak, Bednarek, Goralski, Lewandowski, Klich, Szymanski, Dzwigala, Kadzior, Bereszynski, Frankowski, Fabianski. Rep of

    Ireland: Randolph; Keogh, Egan, Kevin Long; Christie, O’Dowda, Williams, Hendrick, Stevens; Robinson, O’Brien. Subs: Doyle, Duffy, Clark, Meyler, Burke, Horgan, Curtis, Doherty, Judge, Hourihane, McDermott.

  • O'Neill hands an international debut to Millwall's Aiden O'Brien, while Sheffield United's Enda Stevens and Shaun Williams - also of Millwall - earn their first starts.
  • Cyrus Christie (Fulham), Jeff Hendrick and Kevin Long (both Burnley) are the only Premier League representatives in Ireland's starting XI. The rest ply their trade in the Championship.
  • Ireland Under-21s are getting well beaten by Germany in Tallaght.

  • By contrast, Poland's starting line-up includes five Serie A, two Bundesliga and two Ligue 1 players.

    Jerzy Brzeczek has left Robert Lewandowski on the bench tonight, however, after their 1-1 draw away to Italy last time out. Small mercies. . .

  • Just noticed that Egan - who is playing as part of a back three tonight - is wearing number 10. It goes from bad to worse!

    O'Neill has gone for a 3-5-2/5-3-2, with Christie and Stevens playing as wingbacks.

  • The teams are out of the tunnel in Wroclaw.

  • Keogh is Ireland skipper for the evening.

  • Poland to get us underway. . .

    BEEEEEEEEEEEEP!

  • 1 min: A scrappy opening. The ball breaks for O'Brien on the edge of the Polish final third and he switches it right to Christie, who quickly runs out of options. A hopeful ball over the top from Egan skids out for a Polish goal kick.
  • 3 min: Good early intent from Ireland, working the ball nicely inside to Robinson, who tries his luck from distance but sees his shot blocked. The inexperience visitors are looking comfortable on the ball.
  • 4 min: Sharp from Robinson on halfway and he draws a clumsy foul from Glik.  
  • 5 min: First attack from Poland,  Blaszczykowski picking the ball up in between the lines and moving it inside to Milik. He shifts onto his left and drags his shot well wide of Randolph's lefthand post.
  • 8 min: Ireland still seeing plenty of the ball, albeit well inside their own half. Settled start.

  • 9 min: Ireland intent to hold onto the ball and it nearly gets them into trouble, as Keogh sells Williams short on the edge of his own box.

    What a miss!!! Poland have a throw in on the left, Kaminski flicks it on and Milik, towering above Stevens, thumps his header beyond the far post. Should have been 1-0.

  • 10 MIN: POLAND 0 IRELAND 0
  • 14 min: Good work from Hendrick on the right and he forces Ireland's first corner after forcing his way to the byline. O'Dowda delivers deep towards the back post and it skids off Egan's head and for a Polish goalkick. Replays show it should have been another Irish corner.
  • 15 min:  There's a healthy crowd in Wroclaw tonight. Christie has his pocket picked by  Blaszczykowski and Piatek wins Poland's first corner. The hosts works it short and Long does enough at the back post ahead of the Polish striker.
  • 19 min: Good shielding from Stevens in the left corner and he earns a free kick after being shunted over by the harrying Kurzawa. Moments later Keogh reads it well to clear ahead of Reca.
  • 20 MIN: POLAND 0 IRELAND 0
  • 22 min: This is being played at a predictably sedate pace.
  • 24 min: Poland owning the ball, but making little impression beyond the final third.
  • 25 min: Keogh tracks across to close down Reca and turns it behind for a Polish corner. Egan is up well to head clear.

  • 27 min: Ireland are nearly opened up for the first time. Kurzawa runs onto it between the lines and finds Pietek with a cute reverse ball - his shot is deflected behind for a corner.  

    Ireland can't clear the first ball and Kaminski hooks it back towards goal from the edge.  Krychowiak sticks a leg out and turns it narrowly wide of Randolph's right hand post. A let off.

  • 29 min:  A long Christie throw-in from the right. Egan makes a nuisance of himself and it drops for O'Brien, who snatches at his shot and sends it well wide from the angle.
  • 30 MIN: POLAND 0 IRELAND 0
  • 34 min: Ireland sitting in as Poland knock the ball about.
  • 35 min: Driving, surging run from Hendrink from deep until it runs away from him in the box. Nice change of pace. Up the other end, Milik peels off and picks it up in space, but fizzes his shot straight at Randolph.
  • 37 min:  Blaszczykowski finds Reca on the overlap with a cute backheel but Ireland hack away his dangerous ball towards the penalty spot.
  • 39 min: Piatek shows smart pace to get to the byline ahead of Stevens and clip the ball back across goal - Keogh is there to clear.
  • 40 MIN: POLAND 0 IRELAND 0
  • 41 min: Hefty challenge from O'Brien on Linetty - the Millwall forward loses a shinpad in the process. Poland drift the ball into the box and Ireland clear, before this time Linetty is penalised for a foul on O'Brien.
  • 42 min: Havoc inside the Irish box but Egan does excellently to block the ball on the edge of the six-yard box and Poland can't capitalise.  
  • 44 min: Linetty lets fly from distance but it's straight at Randolph.
  • HT: POLAND 0 IRELAND 0

  • There are, of course, other international games taking place around Europe tonight - some friendlies, some in the Nations League.

    The latest scores:

    Northern Ireland 2-0 Israel (friendly)
    Moldova 0-0 Belarus
    San Marino 0-2 Luxembourg
    Iceland 0-2 Belgium
    Bosnia-Herzegovina 0-0 Austria
    Hungary 2-1 Greece
    Finland 1-0 Estonia
    Spain 3-0 Croatia
    England 0 Switzerland 0 (friendly)

  • The teams are back out for the second half - will have any subs for you asap.

  • Just the one change for Poland - Damian  Kadzior makes his international debut, coming on for Kurzawa.

    We're back underway!!

  • 47 min: Nice left-footed switch from Kaminski to Kedziora as Poland look to up the intensity in the early stages of the second half. The move breaks down after a loose ball from Linetty.
  • 49 min: Good play from O'Dowda, winning the ball back and breaking from deep. He switches to Christie on the right who checks back rather than trying to beat his man - he pulls it back for O'Dowda whose low shot is easy for Szczesny.
  • 50 MIN: POLAND 0 IRELAND 0
  • 52 min: Christie carries from halfway and it opens up in front of him. He drives inside and pulls the trigger from the edge - a vital block sees the ball skew behind for a corner.

  • GOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!

    POLAND 0 IRELAND 1 (O'BRIEN 53 MIN)

  • Excellent football. Poland can't clear the orginal corner and it's moved to Hendrick on the right. He slides it to Keogh who drops the ball off for O'Dowda. His first touch is excellent and makes the space for the cross - his ball is met by the unmarked O'Brien at the near post and he flicks a good header beyond  Szczesny. What a way to mark your debut.

    55 MIN: POLAND 0 IRELAND 1

  • 58 min: No instant reaction from Poland after that goal, the hosts yet to jolt into life.
  • 59 min: O'Dowda has been very bright since the break and it opens up for him on the edge - he takes a touch and lets fly but his effort is always rising.
  • 60 MIN: POLAND 0 IRELAND 1
  • 62 min: A couple of changes for Poland, Bednarek on for Glik and Klich on for Piatek.

  • 63 min: Linetty lets fly from distance, miles over.


    First Ireland sub - Robinson replaced by Preston colleague Graham Burke.

  • 67 min: Good link up play and Burke releases O'Dowda - he is tackled before he can switch to Matt Doherty in space on the right. Doherty is on for Christie.
  • Marcus Rashford has given England a 1-0 lead against Switzerland in their friendly in Leicester.
  • 70 MIN: POLAND 0 IRELAND 1

  • 71 min: Poland pressing a bit more. Milik tries his luck with a speculative bicycle kick on the edge before Kadzior drills a low shot which Randolph saves at his near post. Ireland have been solid.

    Conor Hourihane is on for Williams. Pietrzak replaces Reca and  Szymanski is on for  Krychowiak.

  • 75 min: Kadzior cuts inside on his left and curls a dangerous ball towards the far post. Szymanski flicks a header beyond the far post - Milik was lurking ready to turn it home. Best chance of the half for Poland.
  • 77 min: Kadzior thumps a shot across goal which is turned behind for the corner. Poland take the set piece quickly and it's wasted, Ireland able to clear downfield.

  • 80 min:  Blaszczykowski cuts onto his right and fizzes it across goal. It's half cleared towards Kadzior - Keogh clears with a vital header. Ireland are hanging in there.

    Daryl Horgan replaces goalscorer O'Brien,  Frankowski is on for  Blaszczykowski.

  • 80 MIN: POLAND 0 IRELAND 1
  • 85 min: It opens up nicely for Klich on the edge of the Irish box - but he drives his effort well over. Randolph yet to be forced into a serious save.

  • GOOOAAAAALLLL!!!!

    POLAND 1 IRELAND 1 (KLICH 87 MIN)

  • The Irish defence gets caught napping. Klich carries and plays a simple one-two with Linetty, picks up the return ball and curls a neat finish beyond Randolph into the far corner as Egan tried to cover. Harsh on Ireland.

    88 MIN: POLAND 1 IRELAND 1

  • 89 min: Poland then nearly take the lead at the death, a good ball is curled in towards the unmarked  Frankowski who can't quite get a toe on it ahead of Randolph.

    Judge is on for O'Dowda, who has been one of Ireland's better performers tonight.

  • Four minutes injury time.
  • 91 min: Poland now pressing for the winner and Ireland are looking rattled and ragged. Klich tries to curl one from the edge but can't get enough on it to trouble Randolph.
  • 92 min:  Szymanski curls a poor ball out for a goalkick giving Ireland a few moments to breathe.  
  • 95 min: We're into a fifth minute of injury time. . .
  • FT: POLAND 1 IRELAND 1
  • Ireland will be very disappointed not to hold on for what would have been a morale-boosting victory. But still, it's not a bad result and a decent performance from an inexperienced side.

  • FT: Northern Ireland 3 Israel 0
    FT: England 1 Switzerland 0

  • Right, thanks for joining tonight. Emmet Malone's match report from Wroclaw will be live shortly.

    Cya!