Ireland put four past Gibraltar in routine win

Euro 2024 Qualifier

Group B

Gibraltar 0-4 Republic of Ireland 

Ireland hit four past Gibraltar in Faro as Stephen Kenny’s side enjoyed a comfortable 4-0 win in their Euro 2024 qualifier as the Estadio Algarve.

Evan Ferguson opened the scoring in the eighth minute, before Mikey Johnston doubled the visitors’ advantage midway through the half.

Matt Doherty added the third from a 60th-minute corner before substitute Callum Robinson headed home to make it four and seal the facile victory against the pointless Gibraltar side.

Controlling possession from the opening minute, it took Ireland just over seven minutes to break the deadlock following a nice move down the right involving Chiedozie Ogbene and Matt Doherty.

The Luton forward spotted a gap between Jayce Olivero and Ethan Britto before sliding a perfect pass to the overlapping Doherty, who whipped his cross towards the front post.

Ferguson arrived with the coolest of finishes to hand Ireland the lead, bagging his third international goal in the process.

Kenny’s side looked to push on, however, despite the continued control of the ball, Gibraltar were happy to sit in and frustrate, halting anything coming into the penalty area.

Ireland’s lack of genuine creativity was again evident, and while the home side managed a couple of set-pieces into the box, they never came close to anything resembling a chance on goal.

But then two attempts arrived inside two minutes as first Shane Duffy was unable to turn the ball home from a corner at the back post, before Johnston hit a fine effort in the 25th minute forcing a good save from Dayle Coleing.

The second goal appeared imminent, and it duly arrived in the 28th minute as Johnston slid in at the near post to help the ball home.

It was almost a carbon copy of the first as Ogbene again slipped the ball forward to the advancing Doherty, and again the front post was the target as the Celtic man finally put the ball in the back of the net after the first touch came back off the post.

In the 38th minute, Ireland finally created something through the middle as Jamie McGrath slid a near-perfect pass for Johnston who was just beaten to the ball by the alert Coleing, racing out of his goal.

But Ireland’s most dangerous avenue of attack remained out on that right flank as Jason Knight joined Doherty and Ogbene to pass the ball around the Gibraltar defence.

But then Ireland switched play and arrived in off the left as Knight beat the defensive line to take the ball towards the end line.

McGrath skipped past his man and managed to help the ball back into the path of Ferguson who tried to turn the ball home from a tight angle, but the keeper was able to block the close-range effort.

As half-time approached, Ireland went in search of a third but could not get on the end of good balls into the box from both Johnston and McGrath.

Gibraltar finally got a shot away just before the break following a decent counterattack, however, Liam Walker’s well-hit effort was well wide of Gavin Bazunu’s right post.

It took less than two minutes of the second half before Ireland worked Coleing in the Gibraltar goal as Knight’s snap-shot was turned away by the keeper. From the resulting corner, Duffy latched onto the ball about eight yards from goal and his crashing volley just flew past the post.

Knight should really have made it three for Ireland in the 51st minute as he ran onto a perfect cross from Johnston out on the left. The Dubliner timed his run to perfection and judged the bounce well to connect with his header but he slammed it the wrong side of the post.

Ferguson then put his hand up for some set-piece action as Ireland won a free on the edge of the box, however, he curled his effort over the bar.

Gibraltar eventually started to push forward, as Tjay De Barr managed to run at the Ireland defence in the 57th minute and while he got his shot away, he dragged his effort past the near post.

But it was short lived as Ireland were soon peppering the Gibraltar goal with shots from all angles of the penalty box, but it was a credit to the designated home side’s defending that they were able to block everything from testing the keeper.

Ireland did manage to win a corner amidst the sustained spell and were finally rewarded with goal number three from the 60th-minute set-piece, as Doherty headed home from close range, with a lot of credit going to McGrath for a sensational flick to help the ball across the face of goal.

Callum Robinson was on the pitch less than a minute before testing Coleing with a decent effort having raced down the left before cutting inside the box to work the keeper.

Duffy then fluffed his lines in the 71st minute with a free header that he failed to power in, while Jayson Molumby was another sub to almost make an immediate impact as he raced onto the ball inside the box, only for McGrath to take it off his toe – the shot hit the target but the keeper stopped well with his feet.

Robinson then made it four in the 80th minute, as he helped home McGrath’s ball in from the left. The VAR check seemed to last an eternity, but he had managed to stay just onside so his deft touch was duly rewarded.

Ireland eased down through the gears for the final ten minutes with Ryan Manning’s injury time effort their only real look at goal as the defender looked to catch the absent keeper out.

Another professional job on the fifth-ranked side as Ireland boost their tally by three more points as they look forward to a final outing in Amsterdam next month against the Netherlands.

Gibraltar: Dayle Coleing; Aymen Mouelhi, Jayce Olivero (Lee Casciaro 68), John Sergeant, Roy Chipolina (capt) (Evan De Haro 83); Louie Annesley, Nicholas Pozo (Jamie Coombes 68), Liam Walker; Kian Ronan (Joseph Chipolina 83), Ethan Britto, Tjay De Barr (Ayoub El Hmidi 68)

Republic of Ireland: Gavin Bazunu; Matt Doherty, Ryan Manning, Shane Duffy (capt), Liam Scales (Dara O’Shea 74); Josh Cullen (Jayson Molumby 74), Jason Knight, Jamie McGrath; Mikey Johnston (Callum Robinson 66), Chiedozie Ogbene (Mary Sykes 83), Evan Ferguson (Adam Idah 66)

Referee: Christian-Petru Ciochirca (AUT)