Republic of Ireland 3-1 Uruguay
When your manager drafts nine new players into a squad, you know it must be time to step up preparations.
You see, some football games are more important than others.
Anyone who decided to bet online on this friendly in the Aviva Stadium would also have been wise to notice the team line-up contained no fewer than nine changes from the experimental side which went down, as betting odds predicted, 3-1, to Mexico little over 60 hours earlier.
No doubt Martin O’Neill will bring in more senior pros a week today too ahead of the game in this trilogy that really matters – the World Cup qualifier at home to Austria.
As warm-ups go, it was a worthwhile exercise.
In came the likes of Jeff Hendrick, Robbie Brady, Glenn Whelan, Harry Arter, Jonny Hayes and, with the captain’s armband, Jon Walters who, led from the front with the opening goal just before the half hour.
The Stoke striker fired a fine shot into the top left-hand corner from the edge of the box.
Uruguay aren’t ranked 16th in the world without a reason and they can be a real attacking threat.
That was evident when Jose Gimenez levelled with a clinical finish seven minutes before the break.
However, Wes Hoolahan came off the bench at the break to set up Cyrus Christie to restore the Irish lead within six minutes.
And then another substitute, James McClean, made the game safe just three minutes after entering the fray.
This wasn’t just about returning faces of course, so let’s have a word for absent friends.
For skipper, Everton defender Seamus Coleman, happy with his progress from a broken leg and what a lovely touch it was to see him in his hometown receiving the Freedom of County Donegal.
What a present it would be if he could return to football next year with a place in Russia all but secured.
That possibility will move a step nearer should the Emerald Isle see off Austria a week today!
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