Coleman skippers Ireland to win over Switzerland

by Lyndon Lloyd | 25/03/2016

16 Comments [Jump to last]

Charles McQuillan/Getty Images

Seamus Coleman wore the captain's armband and Aiden McGeady was in the starting XI as the Irish beat Shani Tarashaj and the Swiss in Dublin this evening.

Tarashaj, Everton's striking acquisition in January from Grasshopper Zurich, made his senior international debut when he came on as a 71st-minute substitute and he almost equalised late on but his effort was deflected inches wide.

Ciaran Clark's second-minute header, by way of former Everton defender Shane Duffy's flick-on, proved to be the winner.

Everton's other representative in the friendly, James McCarthy, came on for Stephen Quinn with an hour gone, one of three changes that also saw McGeady make way for Jonny Hayes.

Ireland's win was marred by a serious leg injury to ex-Premier League and current Colorado Rapids striker Kevin Doyle, however, that saw him stretchered off the field and taken to hospital for x-rays.

Elsewhere, Muhamed Besic played 67 minutes of Bosnia-Herzegovina's 3-0 win in Luxembourg, making way for Miralem Pjanic with the scores goalless. Pjanic scored the third goal in stoppage time, adding to an own goal by Maxine Chanot and a strike by Milan Djuric.

Reader Comments (16)

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Sharabi Singh
1 Posted 25/03/2016 at 23:19:03

Well done, Ireland. Could Seamus be the captain we been looking for? Probably not.

Do Tottenham or Leicester have a hard captain? I don't think so. Maybe the question of a captain isn't the problem with Everton. It's the manager or players.

Ciaran Duff
3 Posted 26/03/2016 at 03:57:18

Delighted for Seamus. Amazing journey he has been in.

Sharabi, I think that good teams have leaders all over the pitch.

Tony Abrahams
4 Posted 26/03/2016 at 08:22:17

I'm made up for Coleman, who seems to be a genuine, good guy. Maybe it's because he came into football late, but he looks like one of the few that doesn't take anything for granted. His face when Ireland, qualified, was full of disbelief and joy, and I really hope Ireland have a good tournament this summer. For Seamus Coleman, especially!

Bob Cumiskey
5 Posted 26/03/2016 at 08:58:18

It's great to see Seamus given the armband. Martin O'Neill and Roy Keane obviously see leadership traits in him in order for this to happen, although I accept the team wasn't at its full strength last night.

Well done, Seamus. Maybe one day you will be given the honour of captaining our beloved team.

Christopher Timmins
6 Posted 26/03/2016 at 09:16:32

I see where Shane Duffy was named Man of the Match. Perish the thought that Everton might employ someone in the middle of their back four who can actually head the ball!

Kieran Fitzgerald
7 Posted 26/03/2016 at 09:36:01

Christopher @6, I saw highlights of a Blackburn game during the season and I'm nearly sure Duffy was wearing the captain's armband. I have a feeling he may be one we let go too soon.

Tony, Coleman is very like some of the players we have signed from lower league clubs. Galloway and Stones seem much better prepared having come through at a lower level than our own academy players. Coleman, because he hasn't had a huge ego installed through the Academy system, seems to have the right attitude.

Tony Abrahams
8 Posted 26/03/2016 at 09:58:43

Good point, Kieran. I'm not sure this Under-21 league can fully prepare players for a man's league.

James Marshall
9 Posted 26/03/2016 at 10:29:06

Ref the Doyle injury and x-rays; have a look online at the photo he posted of the injury from hospital – not for the faint-hearted. Ouch.

Kevin O'Regan
10 Posted 26/03/2016 at 10:55:51

Seamus and Shane Duffy were excellent, both showing strong leadership – McGeady was McGeady and when McCarthy came on, he did quite well. RoI still stole the win while the Swiss dominated the game.

Oliver Molloy
12 Posted 26/03/2016 at 17:01:13

Shane Duffy is not good enough for Everton lads...

Shane Corcoran
13 Posted 26/03/2016 at 17:23:20

Shane Duffy was very impressive. He might not be good enough for Everton but he was better than Alcaraz.

Doyle's injury looked innocuous until I saw the photo of it. Here it is for those that can stomach... and for those that can't resist it:

Kevin Doyle posts picture of gruesome leg injury

James Stewart
14 Posted 26/03/2016 at 17:30:33

Love Coleman, not surprising to see him look more assured for Ireland than for us. Martinez seems to have a totally toxic effect on any defender. Funes Mori also looked twice the player for Argentina than he ever has for us.

Lukaku mouthing off about Champions League already, I think his position becomes untenable if we don't make the cup final or at least I hope so. Having Martinez as manager of your team feels like banging your head against a brick wall. Again and again, enough already.

Mick Davies
15 Posted 26/03/2016 at 17:36:17

A great honour for Seamus. Prior to Martinez, he was amazing for us. The mid-80s team had 6 or 7 captains; I think the players now have a fear of responsibility.

Paul Olsen
16 Posted 26/03/2016 at 21:49:29

Speaking to my friend who is a Blackburn supporter, there is no evidence whatsoever that Duffy is the one that we let go too early. He is big and strong, and that's about it.

He is at a level that suits his capabilities. Happy for him though, he will experience the Euros and have a pretty decent career. With that injury, that must be a bonus for him.

David Pearl
17 Posted 27/03/2016 at 05:47:12

£60 Grand hey, he can be proud of himself.

Dier is certainly one that got away... you have to wonder though if Martinez would've let him go.

Les Martin
18 Posted 28/03/2016 at 13:19:22

I disagree with anyone who thinks Seamus would not make a good Everton captain.

The lad is passionate and a trier, tough and takes no nonsense... Costa, remember?

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