Despite a fighting start to their clash with England, ten-man Ireland have been handed a humiliating 5-0 defeat at the hands of Lee Carsley’s men.
The first half was a tense affair that saw Heimir Hallgrímsson’s men play their best half of football under the new manager, troubling the English defence and heading down the tunnel with momentum swinging in their favour.
The second half however was a far cry from Ireland’s fighting start, as disaster struck when a needless Liam Scales red card and penalty kicked off an English onslaught that Ireland were completely helpless to suppress.
As disaster followed disaster, Anthony Gordon fully capitalised on a Nathan Collins and Josh Cullen mistake, doubling England’s lead less than five minutes after their first. Two minutes later Conor Gallagher would add England’s third, ending any hope of an Irish comeback in North West London.
With the floodgates open, it was only a matter of time until England found the net again, with Jarrod Bowen adding England’s fourth before Roy Keane’s future son-in-law Taylor Harwood-Bellis capped off his international debut with England’s fifth and final goal.
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Richie Sadlier had strong words for Liam Scales after needless red card
Despite Ireland living with their star-studded opponents in the opening half, Liam Scales’ needless red card proved to be a crushing turning point for the Boys in Green who never recovered from going a man down.
While some might excuse Scales’ second yellow card in the box, his first yellow card came as a result of a needless off-the-ball incident with Conor Gallagher where he knocked the ball away long after the referee had blown his whistle for an England ball.
Speaking on RTÉ after Sunday’s annihilation, Richie Sadlier slammed the Celtic man’s costly first yellow as ‘petulant’ and ‘small time’.
In the 42nd minute the referee tells Bellingham ‘stop, stop, get away from me don’t be complaining’. This is less than sixty seconds later… Scales gets involved, tussling with Gallagher, spins him around, kicks the ball away.
It’s just petulant stuff, it’s petulant and silly and small time stuff.
Why he couldn’t join the dots and realise less than a minute earlier this ref is clearly fussy, he clearly applies the letter of the law…which meant that when this happens (Scales foul) he had no option but to send him off.
The first booking was so avoidable, he completely created the situation himself.
Sadlier’s RTÉ colleague Dietmar Hamann didn’t spare Scales any criticism either, branding the Celtic man’s sending off as ‘immature’.
This is immature…they had (England) where they wanted them, and for no reason whatsoever, he decides to kick the ball away or try to get Gallagher off the ball there, not once but, two or three times. So the ref has no other choice but to book him.
Ultimately Liam Scales’ red card would completely upend what had been Ireland’s most promising half of football since Heimir Hallgrímsson landed in Dublin, offering Harry Kane and his English teammates the first of five goals that they’d launch past Caoimhin Kelleher.
Ireland now head back to Dublin having won just two of the six games they’ve played since their Icelandic manager took over.
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