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Expect Plenty of goals against Gibraltar

The Republic of Ireland squad fly out to Faro tomorrow morning ahead of Friday night's Euro 2016 qua...
TodayFM
TodayFM

9:34 PM - 2 Sep 2015



Expect Plenty of goals against...

Sport

Expect Plenty of goals against Gibraltar

TodayFM
TodayFM

9:34 PM - 2 Sep 2015



The Republic of Ireland squad fly out to Faro tomorrow morning ahead of Friday night's Euro 2016 qualifier against Gibraltar.

Despite what Martin O'Neill or any of the players have said this week we know Ireland will win so it's really just a case of how many goals will they score.

Ireland go into this round of games, fourth in group D so we could really do with a favour from Georgia who play Scotland before our match in Faro.

If it wasn't for Aiden McGeady's stunning injury time winner in Georgia this time last year Ireland would have drawn in Tbilisi so let's hope the Scots also have a testing night there.

Robbie Keane scored a hat-trick when Ireland beat Gibraltar 7-0 at the Aviva Stadium last October and the group's minnows have also suffered 7-0 defeats to Poland and Germany.

Gibraltar's only goal came so far came away to Scotland when Lee Casciaro equalised at Hampden Park but they still went on to lose 6-1 and their best result so far was a 3-0 loss to Georgia.

Ireland haven't won a group game since the 7-0 victory over Friday's opponents but this is a match you'd expect Keane to add to his tally of 65 goals in the green jersey.

James McCarthy trained today despite concerns over a knee injury so O'Neill will probably be able to pick his strongest 11.

Wes Hoolahan has impressed for Norwich so far this season with three assists in the Premier League and he'll have a field day in Faro if selected on Friday.

That hasn't always been the case in away games under O'Neill but I think this game is a bit different so I expect to see him cutting the Gibraltar defence apart with incisive passes.

Hoolahan's Norwich team-mate Robbie Brady will continue at left back so the only position probably up for grabs is on the left side of midfield.

I'd expect James McClean to get the nod given Aiden McGeady is still returing to full fitness and Jon Walters is likely to operate on the right.

With a game against Georgia to come next Monday I still think O'Neill will go with a strong eleven on Friday.

Probable Ireland team: Given; Coleman, Brady, Wilson, O'Shea; McCarthy, Whelan, McClean, Hoolahan; Walters, Keane.

Martin O'Neill and Roy Keane assess Gibraltar:



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