POOL EIGHT REACTION:THE RESULT not the manner in which it was achieved was the predictable verdict from the Republic of Ireland players after they snatched a win against a much improved Georgia side in Croke Park last night.
Striker Kevin Doyle admitted that the side were concerned for a while after conceding a goal inside the first minute of the game but insisted the points were deserved in the end after Giovanni Trapattoni’s side dug in for win that sent them joint top of Group Eight with Italy.
A dubious penalty allowed Robbie Keane to draw the hosts level in the 73rd minute and he headed the winner five minutes later.
“We were worried for a while but we stuck at it and got the result and that’s what it’s all about,” said the Reading frontman.
“Then when we went ahead, we didn’t let them in, which was a problem in the past when we went ahead, we’d concede late on. But apart from the first few minutes we looked solid the whole game.
“The fact that they went ahead early on and they had that extra man in midfield and sat one in front of their back four made it difficult.
“They were just hoping that, once they went ahead, to nick it from the very start and it made it difficult for us to penetrate them.
“We kept going, we got lots of corners, free-kicks and it eventually paid off. We got a bit of luck but luck comes from working hard.”
There was little triumphalism from midfielder Glenn Whelan either, who also pointed to the end result, rather than the preceding 90 minutes on the pitch.
“Obviously we’re top of the group, we were chasing the game and it got a bit scrappy but we got the win and that’s what counts.
“We didn’t help ourselves in the first couple of minutes but a win is a win and it’s another three points to help us get out of the group.”
The Stoke player also singled out midfield partner Keith Andrews for his performance in his first competitive start.
“He did very well, making his starting debut, but Keith’s a good player and he showed that tonight.
“It’s just like playing alongside anybody else, obviously the lads coming in want to do well and Keith is no different.”
Two-goal hero Keane admitted they rode their luck last night and he stressed the side must work on holding firm in the opening minutes if they are to maintain their bid to reach South Africa 2010.
The Tottenham striker said: “Conceding a goal like that in the first minute can cost you but luckily enough we got back into game.
“That’s what we have to look at – we’re well capable of scoring goals but we have to cut out these mistakes.”
Keane insisted he did not see the penalty decision, where Ucha Lobjanidze was penalised for handball when the ball appeared to hit his shoulder with the flag up for offside anyway.
“I didn’t see that incident,” he continued. “I was facing the other way. If it wasn’t then sometimes you need a bit of luck. We kept pushing on and I think we deserved it in the end.”
He added: “We just concentrate on what we do. We believe we’re well capable of qualifying but we need to try to win games, and try to win games convincingly. It’s a great start for us and we’ll enjoy this. It’s been a great start, long may that continue.”
The mood was very different in the Georgian camp, though Zurab Khizinishvili graciously wished Ireland well, despite a “joke” of a penalty decision that allowed Keane to equalise.
“We know we played well, I don’t know what’s going on with the penalty,” said the Blackburn defender. “He is joking, the referee, he doesn’t know what he is doing. The linesman showed the offside and he just gave the penalty. It was unbelievable but it doesn’t matter, we just wish good luck to Ireland, they are a good team and we will just look to Cyprus.”
