Ireland defeat Armenia 2-1 and qualify for a play-off spot in European championship
Posted on Tuesday, October 11, 2011 at 04:39 PM
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Ireland have qualified for a play-off in the European championships after defeating Armenia 2-1 in the final game of the qualifying rounds.
Russia claimed the automatic place after easily defeating Andorra.
Ireland's task was made much easier by the sending off of the Armenian goalkeeper in the first half and shortly afterwards an own goal.
Richard Dunne, pictured, put Ireland further ahead but Armenia replied instantly with a goal.
Ireland lost Kevn Doyle to a red card in the 80th minute.
Armenia, despite having only ten men, outplayed Ireland for long periods but Ireland will not care having got the vital scores that put them into a playoff.
6 comments
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Fightin69th | Oct 12, 2011, 01:34 PM EDT
Results matter in International Soccer. Those boring 0-0 draws against greater opposition, horrible 1-0 wins over lesser teams, those results all add up. Ireland are seeded in the Playoff draw that happen tomorrow.
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GeorgeDillon | Oct 12, 2011, 09:48 AM EDT
The 26 County team don't play soccer, they torture it. Soccer fans used to--fraudulently--describe soccer as "the beautiful game". But Trappatoni and his players have now invented "the ugly game". I sure hope they get kicked out in the play-offs.
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AOBoyle | Oct 12, 2011, 02:17 AM EDT
Yeah, I wonder if O'Shea will be advocating giving the Armenians a replay in this fixture after all his complaining and moaning when Henry didn't get caught 2 years ago! Also, I thought you were the one who advocated cheering for the team who played the beautiful game better (your words Barca V MU). I guess you were shouting for Armenia since they outplayed us for long periods, I guess that means most of the game (again, your words). Still clueless.
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sirpeter | Oct 11, 2011, 05:56 PM EDT
Better to play crap and win the game then play a good game and lose it.That happened plenty times.
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jacersagain | Oct 11, 2011, 05:22 PM EDT
Yeah Sean, I agree - Ireland were outplayed by a better team on the night and it's a sad reflection of future Irish hopes for the European Championships that we couldn't capitalise on the unfortunate sending off of the Armenian goalkeeper (it didn't look to me as if he had handled the ball outside 'the box'; he correctly went to chest the ball outside his box and, imo, ‘twas a bad decision by the ref). As a former (GAA) footballer and occasional (soccer) goalie, I’d say Dunne's flukey goal wasn't as a result of a mistake by the young replacement keeper, more a late reaction to what he saw as a probable clearance by his own defender that didn’t come off and somehow bounced off Dunne into the net. Objectively, as a footballer, I'd say the undeserving team goes into the play-offs. Still, when you think of the bad luck we had with Thierry Henry’s blatant handball a few yrs ago, I suppose some Karma happened tonight. It better happen again in the play-off games.
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