Another tough night for Stephen Kenny’s Ireland as Greece take the points in a comfortable victory at the Aviva Stadium tonight.

First-half goals from Giakoumakis and Masouras saw the home side face a chorus of boos as they left the pitch, with the boys in Green really struggling to create any clear-cut chances after the Greeks went in front.

Next up is Gibraltar away on Monday night, a game that Ireland should definitely win but with confidence low, failing to get the victory in the Algarve would be one of the most disastrous performances in Irish history. 

Kenny was hoping for a bright start from his side and that’s just what he got. Will Smallbone saw his effort parried away by Vlachodimos, an effort the Southampton man would’ve been disappointed not to put more towards the corner. Evan Ferguson came closer moments later when his left-footed effort from 20 yards out beat the Forest keeper but clipped the bottom of the post. 

The momentum let up shortly after as the Greeks began to play their way into the game. On the 20 minute mark Ireland fell behind after a wonderful cross from Tsimikas was met superbly in the air by Giakoumakis who powerfully headed towards the top corner, absolutely nothing Bazunu could do about it as the Aviva began to voice their frustration. 

Despite some possession after the goal, the Irish offence began to run out of ideas, struggling to break down a stout Greek defence, with the away side looking more likely to get a second than Ireland back on level terms. Bazunu did well to push a right-footed effort from Pelkas over the bar late in the half. 

Just seconds before the halftime whistle, Greece doubled their lead. Giakoumakis picked up the ball down the left and fizzed across the box, finding Pelkas who pulled back to Masouras who slotted home, as the Irish side left the field for the interval to a chorus of boos. 

Kenny brought on Manning at the break, sticking with the back four, shifting Liam Scales to centre half where he has been playing with Celtic recently. 

Scales did look solid at the back, putting in a couple of decent blocks but coming up to 20 minutes to go Kenny turned to Scales teammate Johnston along with Callum Robinson to inject some fresh legs into his side. 

The substitutions would have little impact on the game however, with the away side more threatening but with the lead under their belt only created a few half chances that Bazunu dealt with.

Matt Doherty did have a close-range header at the back post that could’ve given his side a lifeline but Vlachodimos was equal to the effort with his feet. Callum Robinson followed up moments later with a shot that flashed wide of the post as Ireland showed some fight towards the tail end but it was too little too late. 

The already rampant pressure on Stephen Kenny will reach breaking point after this performance as a lack of spark or tactical change throughout the game left the 42,000 in attendance feeling the blues at full-time.

Irish hopes of qualification from Group E are almost certainly over after defeat to the Netherlands at the Aviva Stadium tonight. 

A spirited Irish team cannot be faulted for lack of effort, but despite Idah giving them the lead from the spot after four minutes, fell just short as Gakpo equalised and Weghorst came off the bench to score the winner.

Pre match it already felt like max pressure on Stephen Kenny but this defeat will raise serious questions as three points from the opening five games in European qualification will not suffice. 

Greece and Gibraltar await in the October international break, but who will be at the helm will remain to be seen. 

The rendition of Amhrán na bhFiann pre match really captured the importance of this tie, and in the early moments of the match the players showed that they were as up for it as the fans were.

Within the first two minutes Ireland had a major opportunity to take the lead, Idah putting pressure on the Dutch passing out from the back and turning over 12 yards out, but he couldn’t turn and shoot himself, laying off the Ogbene who saw his effort blocked.

McClean stepped up and whipped a delicious corner into the mix which struck the outstretched arm of Van Dijk, the referee pointed to the spot with no hesitation. 

Up stepped Adam Idah, and smashed low and hard into the bottom right corner, sending Flekken the wrong way, to give Ireland the dream start and send the Aviva into raptures. 

Ireland kept the pressure up, but just before the 20 minute mark a moment of quality from Gakpo changed the game. The Liverpool winger picked up the ball and played an incredible defence splitting pass, which Dumfries ran onto, but was met by the onrushing Bazunu who committed the foul in the area. 

Gakpo took the responsibility on and despite the raucous noise of Lansdowne Road, cooly slotted into the corner past Bazunu to bring the Dutch to level terms. 

Despite the equaliser, Ireland remained the better team barring a few minute spell midway through the half. Ogbene against Ake on the right was proving an intriguing battle, with the Irishman forcing a number of corners, all which McClean delivered teasingly but unfortunately from an Irish perspective could not be converted. 

The biggest threat as the half wore on for the Dutch was coming from Donyell Malen down their right, twice the Dortmund player got in behind but twice Bazunu was able to prevent him giving his side the lead, as the sides went in at the break level. 

The second half continued to be an enthralling fixture, as it remained open. Koeman turned to his bench bringing on Wout Weghort, and was rewarded inside ten minutes. 

Frenkie De Jong played a delightful dinked pass over the top to Dumfries running in at the back post who pulled back to Weghorst, and the half time sub made no mistake giving his side the lead for the first time on the night.

De Jong deserves a lot of plaudits for his impact in the goal, and as the Irish tired he grew more into the game, dropping in to space to receive the ball and move it around to great effect. 

Stephen Kenny did change the shape in the latter stages of the game to try get back into it, including going to a back four whilst introducing Will Smallbone into the middle of the park. 

Despite Ireland holding some sustained pressure and possession in the final stages of the half, the Dutch looked comfortable at the back, even with the towering Shane Duffy now up there. 

Into five additional minutes, the Irish just could not seem to fashion one opportunity on goal, despite the introduction of Sinclair Armstrong to make his senior debut late on. 

The football on the pitch looks so promising, but it's a results business, and unfortunately, the Kenny era of Irish football is in deep deep trouble.

It was a night of firsts at the Aviva as the Republic of Ireland picked up their first win of the Euro 2024 Qualifying campaign. Mikey Johnston, and Adam Idah scored their first goals for Ireland, while for Evan Ferguson it was his first competitive goal for his country.

After a poor first half that saw Gibraltar keeper Dayle Coleing forced into making just one decent save of note, the Republic finally broke the deadlock in the 52nd minute through Johnston. Ferguson got a second for Ireland seven minutes later. Idah sealed the win in stoppage time.

Ireland created their first chance inside the opening minute when Jamie McGrath’s strike was saved by Coleing. 

Despite having the majority of possession in the first half Ireland failed to really make the Gibraltar netminder work. James McClean had a strike in the 11th minute but the keeper saved it easily.

From a McClean corner in the 15th minute Nathan Collins was just inches away from connecting with it at the back post. Dara O’Shea and Evan Ferguson had efforts as Ireland huffed and puffed but couldn’t find a way to get that opening goal. Just before the break McGrath forced the Coleing into making an excellent save. 

There were boos from a small section of the crowd at half-time as some supporters showed their frustrations.

Manager Stephen Kenny introduced Johnston at half-time and the winger scored his first goal for Ireland in the 52nd minute. Will Smallbone’s free-kick was blocked into the path of Johnston and he made no mistake from close range.

Ireland doubled their advantage in the 59th minute. Johnston played the ball out wide to McClean, he whipped in a cross that was headed home by Ferguson. Substitute Troy Parrott saw his effort saved by the Gibraltar netminder before O’Shea’s long range effort brought a save out of Coleing.

On the night he earned his 100th cap, McClean had a chance to grab a third goal for Ireland in the 79th minute. Johnston with the pass to the Derry man but his shot got a nick off a Gibraltar player and out for a corner. 

McClean turned provider for Ireland’s third goal in stoppage time; his cross headed to the net by Idah.

It took a moment of magic from Benjamin Pavard five minutes into the second half to see France leave Dublin with all three points in this Euro 2024 Qualifier.

A third time this century where France and Ireland meet in the capital and third time Ireland suffer a 1-0 defeat on home soil, it really is the hope that kills you.

Despite the scoreline Ireland were disciplined and patient in the tie and certainly caused a few headaches for the French side when it came to attack and also how they setup their defensive shape.

Pavard never scores a normal goal and he showed both his defensive and attacking skills to score the only goal of the game, a rocket of a strike after intercepting a pass, France studied Ireland well limiting them passing out from their own area.

Ireland had chances with Mike Maignan making two stunning staves late on to keep them at bay, a performance they should be proud of but one that just did not bring any points

Ireland were holding their own in the opening few minutes at a noisy Aviva, the crowd acting as the 12th man, with the first cheer going up for Chiedzoie Ogbene dispossessing Kylian Mbappe then drawing a foul from the French forward.

France had a great early chance as Kolo Muani gathered possession in the box, he was forced wide by Bazunu, he cut it back inside but John Egan was there to clear the danger, as he blocked Oliver Giroud rolling into an empty net.

The Boys In Green looked organised and compact, France having little in the way of scoring chances, largely reduced to crossing into the penalty area, looking for the heads of Giroud and Kolo Muani, unable to get their speedy players to race in on goal to Bazunu.

In attack ireland were holding their own as Ogbene was testing Theo Hernandez down the left and side, the Ac Milan full back having to foul Ogbene, with a few free kicks Ireland could get a chance at goal, however they were left open to a counter attack but back were Ogbene and Seamus Coleman after Mbappe showed his quick feet down the left hand side.

France won a corner and from that Giroud showed his danger in the air as he headed for goal, it pin balled off Coleman and then Jayson Molumby before Bazunu came to gather as Mbappe was lurking at the back post to rifle home the rebound.

Hernandez fired an effort at goal from outside the area,a fierce left-footed strike, cannoning off the feet of Griezmann, but Bazunu watched it spin out for a goal kick, could have gone anywhere but Ireland delighted it went out for a goal kick.

Eduardo Camavinga was next to cause danger as he picked out the run of Benjamin Pavard down the right, he wiped in a curling delivery to Griezmann at the near post, but his header flew wide of the Irish net.

Pressure went against the French in the final minutes of the opening half, Ireland with two free kicks delivered into the area, Kolo Muani doing well to defend the first set piece as appeals were there that he had tackled Dara O’Shea but VAR deemed it as no penalty, a terrific opening half for Ireland as they frustrated and limited France to little chances, but Ireland had no shots on target in the half.

Five minutes into the second half and France took the lead, Ireland had done well in defence, but Adrian Rabiot had time to breathe on the left wing, he played a pass that Josh Cullen intercepted, Cullen then tried to pass it out but it was a little misplaced and Pavard gathered before unleashing a rocket of a shot that hit the underside of the crossbar and flew past Bazunu into the net, he does not score normal goals does Benjamin Pavard.

Minutes later just before the hour mark, Ireland had a great chance to find the equaliser, Ogbene raced down the right wing, delivered a ball to Knight outside the edge of the box, but his effort was blocked, Ireland keep possession and almost see Ferguson through on goal but France have a free for offside, the atmosphere electric as the Irish voices were in full spirit in the tie. 

France made a change with Grioud going off for Moussa Diaby to strengthen their attack, Diaby cut into the box from the right before shifting the ball onto his left and sending a curling effort towards the far post, which Bazunu pushed away at full stretch to keep the score at 1-0.

Bazunu was busy again minutes later as he had to get down quick to his left to parry away a long range strike from Rabiot, Kolo Muani almost got in minutes later but some great defending had the danger cleared.

Ireland kept pressing and Molumby had a great effort that Dayot Upemencano did well to block, minutes later James McClean cut inside the area and hit a shot that Mike Maignan saved, pressure back on france as Ireland appealed for a penalty for a hand ball on Hernandez as Ogbene crossed in, that was not given as Alan Browne fired an effort outside the area wide of the goal.

Maignan was needed late  on to show why he is the new French number 1, he first denied a Browne header before stretching well to save an effort from Nathan Collins that looked destined to nestle in the top corner.