Massive Queue’s Expected At Credit Unions As Ireland Qualify For Euros

Republic of Ireland 1 – 1 Estonia

                     (5 – 1 Agg)

The Republic of Ireland confirmed their place as if it wasn’t confirmed already in Euro 2012 with a 1-1 draw with Estonia in the Aviva Stadium with Traps men already leading 4-0 from the first leg in Tallin so the Republic take the play off 5-1 on aggregate.

Ireland were almost off to the perfect start when they were awarded a free on the edge of the area, Stephen Hunt swung it in and Damien Duff tried to power it into the back of the net but it came off the keeper Pavel Londak who didn’t look like he knew what was happening, Robbie Keane tried to repeat his first goal from Friday but missed a total sitter, the Tallaght man will not enjoy watching that back.

It took very long for the Republic to get settled into this game and by the time their first goal came around, they still wernt and this was on the half hour mark, but the 51,151 fans wont have cared, Kevin Doyle worked his way into a great position inside the box and tried to shoot bounced off londak in the goal and left to former Bohemians man Stephen Ward to fire the ball into the back of the net for his second international goal.

The party atmosphere in the Aviva stadium was silenced 10 minutes into the second half, the visitors got themselves into a great position outside the box and Konstantin Vassiljev, the Estonian captain fired a shot past Shay Given in the goal, It was poor defending from John O’Shea in the end and it gave the small pocket of Estonian fans something to get behind.

Richard Dunne might have restored the home side’s lead when he met Keith Andrews’s clipped 67th-minute cross with a firm header, but he directed the ball straight at a grateful Londak.

Had it not been for Given, the game might have swung again with 16 minutes remaining when Martin Vunk, having seen his initial effort blocked by Glenn Whelan, unleashed a stinging drive which the Aston Villa keeper managed to turn away at full stretch.

Ireland just seemed to have switched off at half time which they might come under fire for but in the grand scheme of things who would have ever predicted that the aggregate score on the 50 minute mark in the second leg of a play off would have been 5-1 before the first leg was even played.

Fans amused themselves by Mexican waves and throwing paper planes made out of the green cards, a true indication into how truly boring the game was in terms of football but the party atmosphere remained for the entire 90 minutes.

A little harder go get things done for the Republic 11 on 11 this time round but this is a boost football fans in this country really need not having qualified for ANYTHING since the world cup in 2002 and the first time they qualified at home. A lot of players in the lead up to both games were eager to stress how important it was to get the monkey of THAT night in Paris off their back, thay have certainly done that and fans can look forward to a great summer next year.

Daniel "Pitchside" Pitcher Twitter: @DanFM104Sport About: Dan "Pitchside" Pitcher provides insight and commentary as the chief soccer and rugby correspondent for Sportspeak.