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Disgrace - Ireland humbled by Cyprus

Saturday 7th October 2006, 7:28 pm

Irish football is in disarray and many involved in tonight's debacle should now be considering if they have any future in the game. Tonight Ireland were hammered 5-2 by Cyprus in Nicosia and were thoroughly humbled by a side ranked at 103 in FIFA's rankings.

A disgraceful, inept and embarrassing performance from the Irish team saw them get exactly what they deserved and it was fortunate that Cyprus didn't grab a goal or two more before the end.

There was little to praise in probably the worst performance ever by an Irish side and ominously Ireland have next to play a side ranked almost 100 places higher than Cyprus - Czech Republic on Wednesday night.

The night began well enough with Stephen Ireland firing the ball home after Kevin Kilbane had mis-controlled Aiden McGeady's cross into the back of the net. There had been warnings for Ireland and after less than five minutes Konstantinou was in one-on-one with Paddy Kenny only to miss the target.

The same Cypriot player levelled the match at 1-1 as Ireland's lead lasted just over sixty seconds. Andy O'Brien, who should maybe think about returning to Portsmouth's reserves before showing up in Dublin next week, headed back weakly and Konstantinou slotted past Kenny.

Conceding one was bad enough but falling behind hinted at a bad night ahead. Garpozis beat Kenny in the air to a cross and Cyprus were 2-1 up on 19 minutes. The goals weren't isolated incidents though and Ireland had let offs when Konstantinou missed a good chance and Makridis missed after an error from Steve Finnan.

Richard Dunne picked up a booking just after the half hour, his second of the campaign ruling him out of the Czech game, leaving Andy O'Brien as the senior centre half for that game.

Ireland somehow went in level at the break when Dunne powered in a bullet header from Damien Duff's corner kick just minutes before half-time. However, Ireland could have gone in behind at the break after Konstantinou saw his shot come back off the crossbar, although Kenny have just got a flick on the ball.

Few would have thought it could get any worse for Ireland but it did. A dreadful second half - from an Irish point of view - saw Ireland fail to create a single decent chance and concede three goals.

O'Brien should have been withdrawn long before half-time but his poor defending five minutes into the second half allowed Konstantinou run at goal and as the defender panicked and tried to redeem the situation, he bundled over the home striker in the box. Konstantinou slotted home from the resulting penalty and Cyprus were ahead again.

It was 4-2 on the hour as Ireland fell apart. Makridis set up Charalambides and he fired home low past the dis-sheveled Irish. Duff's long low shot wide moments later was about as close as Ireland went in the second forty-five minutes but this night was slipping away.

Fifteen minutes from the end the humiliation was complete when Cyprus went 5-2 up as Charalambides slotted in after Ireland's defence were made to look even more amateur.

Dunne saw red minutes later as he barged into the back of Konstantinou. A second yellow card was harsh but it wasn't even worth an argument at that stage.

All that remained was for Cyprus to waste two great chances in the dying minutes and already Ireland's European qualifying campaign appears over.

Ireland : Kenny, Finnan, O'Shea, Andy O'Brien (Lee 70), Dunne, Kilbane, Ireland (Douglas 83), McGeady (Alan O'Brien 80), Duff, Keane, Morrison.