PEOPLE AROUND IRELAND would have had different reasons to hang the tricolour from their windows this week.
There was the beginning of the Rugby World Cup, of course, as Andy Farrell’s side cruised to an 82-8 victory over Romania yesterday.
Shane Lowry was named as a captain’s pick for Europe’s Ryder Cup team before he and Rory McIlroy descended on The K Club to enthral crowds at the the Irish Open.
In the rowing heartland of Skibbereen, you can be sure Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy’s world championship win in Belgrade was celebrated.
Some might just have decided to stick a bit of green, white and orange bunting up in solidarity with the Wolfe Tones given the reaction to their Electric Picnic performance.
Maybe the Republic of Ireland would have forced their way onto the bandwagon had they managed to cause a shock against France in Thursday’s Euro 2024 qualifier.
Instead they battled to simply maintain their dignity in a 2-0 defeat in Paris that has led to a somewhat muted build-up to tonight’s visit of the Netherlands.
But the significance is obvious for Ireland, and manager Stephen Kenny.
“It is absolutely our ambition to qualify. That has been our ambition. We’ve built a team to qualify from this campaign, I’m not going to deny that, so we’re looking to get the victory we need,” he said.
“We must work extremely hard to get that and we’ll need to give the performance of our lives and things to go our way. It’s one of those nights that we need to make it happen.”
A win is a necessity.
That would leave Ireland level with the Dutch on six points and, given Greece are at home to Gibraltar, most likely three adrift of second spot before the Greeks come to Dublin next month.
For that to be a fixture with anything on the line, Ireland must find a way to beat the Dutch.
Kenny spoke about “the cauldron” of Aviva Stadium and the need to be “composed under pressure” against a side that found form with a 3-0 win over Greece on Thursday, and who “press higher and more aggressively than any team we’ve played”.
The absences of Enda Stevens and Will Keane because of injury were expected, while captain John Egan overcame his injury concerns against France. Matt Doherty returns from suspension with strikers Sinclair Armstrong and Jonathan Afolabi in the mix to feature.
“There are no late calls, I am very clear in my mind about the team that will be selected,” Kenny explained.
“So there are no grey areas in relation to selection. There is nobody on the border line of whether they can actually play or not. It’s pretty clear to me and the players and we are getting ready for it.”
Ireland fans will be doing the same and, such is the nature of the underdog’s existence, convincing yourself an upset is possible is half the battle.
Ignore your own side’s shortcomings and focus on the disarray – real and imagined – of the opponent:
- Frenkie De Jong in midfield? Hasn’t kicked on at Barcelona. One-paced and one-dimensional. He’ll end up in Saudi Arabia soon.
- Virgil van Dijk? Dodgy knee.
- But he’s Liverpool captain?
- Doesn’t matter. Past it.
- Who’s their goalkeeper? Mark Flekken? Never heard of him.
- He plays for Brentford.
- Flekken brutal, more like.
- Wout Weghorst up front? So what if he scored against Greece. Did you watch him for Manchester United last season? Shane Duffy will be licking his lips.
And he is.
Not just at the prospect of that battle, but by being part of the Ireland squad again. His return to the starting XI against France was the first time he played for his country since the Scotland triumph way back in June 2022.
“I never took a cap for granted in my life,” Duffy said, sitting alongside Kenny.
“Sometimes you don’t know when your last one is. I was just happy to get my personal life and my football life back in order and to get back playing again with a smile on my face. I feel good and I feel fit, so I’m happy where I am.
“It was very obvious as I wasn’t playing every week and I haven’t played a lot of football for nearly 18 months, consistent football. I’m not stupid, I want the best version of Shane for the manager to pick and he wasn’t getting that.
“I was on the bench a lot and wasn’t playing regular football and someone my size and the way I play, I need constant football to get the best version of me. That’s where I was and we both spoke.
“We’re men and we spoke about it. We want the best for our country and we want to win the next games. That’s where we were at the time – you pick the best players.
“I’ve had difficult moments in my life and I have dealt with them. I’m a strong character and I can come back from things, and I keep coming back.”
The nature of what’s on the line means there were questions to Kenny about his own future, and whether he would expect to still be in charge should Ireland lose.
“Yes, I do, but I am not focused on that now. I am only absolutely focused on [tonight]. It’s a big night, a very big night and we do need a victory.
“We need a victory; a draw wouldn’t mathematically put us out of it but we have a desire to get a win. Holland likewise will come and be very determined to get a win themselves.”
It’s a night Ireland cannot afford to wave the white flag.
Tonight: Republic of Ireland v The Netherlands, live RTÉ 2, 7.45pm.