Full time: Ireland 0 England 2, as it happened
B2, League Dublin Nations Stadium, Uefa 7/9/2024 Aviva Group
That's all from out liveblog, thanks very much for joining us and stay tuned to our website for the best of the analysis and reaction from a tough start for Heimir Hallgrímsson in charge of Ireland.
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A better showing in the second half by Ireland, but England hardly got out of second gear. Huge gulf in class between the teams.
Caoimhin Kelleher has made a number of brilliant saves, probably hard done by not to be named Sky's man of the match. Overall man of the match award should go to Rice though.
Kelleher now stretches to turn Saka's shot away although Eze headed over instead of into the empty net.
Kelleher makes another great save to deny Bowen at his near post.
Chiedozie Ogbene named Sky's player of the match. They were never going to give it to Declan Rice were they?
Eze's effort from the edge of the penalty whistles just over the bar. Close.
Kelleher makes another excellent save this time denying Bowen.
Debut in green 🇮🇪 pic.twitter.com/Rei1D1SJAv
— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) September 7, 2024
Bowen is coming on for Kane. John Stones on for Maguire.
Evan Ferguson on for Robbie Brady. Great to see him back on the pitch. Not so great seeing that pitch invade that followed him!
Sloppy from Brady almost lets Kane in but the former Spurs man fails to make the most of it. Held onto it too long.
7 Grealish slowly walks off to loud boos. He is replaced by Gibbs-White. Angel Gomes replaces Mainoo while Eze replaces Gordon.
Jake O'Brien booked.
Double sub. Kasey McAteer is on for his debut in place of Adam Idah, Jason Knight replaces Will Smallbone.
Couple of loose passes from Trent Alexander-Arnold. Too casual.
Grealish to Gordon but his deflected shot is saved and held by Kelleher. The Cork native has had a really good game in goal, thankfully.
Alexander-Arnold with a free now on the right wing. Claimed by his clubmate Kelleher.
Robbie Brady booked.
The crowd have rediscovered their voice here as Ireland have a free on the right flank.
It's just not happening yet for Sammie Szmodics in an Ireland jersey. Still lively but just not the player we've seen with Ipswich and most notably Blackburn Rovers. Feels like he needs to open his account soon.
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Bit more urgency now about Ireland as Szmodics feeds Molumby after good pressure from Ogbene but the midfielder blasts over from a decent position. Better again though.
Much better from Ireland. Collins with a great switch to Ogbene who pulls it back towards Szmodics but his powerful strike is wide of the near post. Better.
Jake O'Brien is on for the injured Seamus Coleman, Jason Knight on for Matt Doherty.
Feel for Molumby & Smallbone. One of the biggest pitches in Europe playing against effectively 4 in there. Trent. Rice Mainoo. Grealish.
— Alan Cawley (@alancaw) September 7, 2024
Getting run ragged. Reminds me of Andrews & Whelan same scenario v Germany in 6-1 hammering few years back.
Madness against superior team.
Ireland clear it but Coleman is down with an injury.
Saka wins a corner for England.
Crowd getting agitated here, just standing off England. As good as they have been, you can still make a challenge and get closer.
No changes for either team at half-time, it will be interesting to see when Evan Ferguson will appear. If at all.
England corner but it comes to nothing.
It had to them. Two former Ireland players returning to show how far the country is off top tier level.
Jack Grealish didn’t even make England’s 26-man squad for the Euros and he’s been at the hub of everything they’re threading through the final third.
Proof of the former Ireland U21 attacker’s influence has been the heavy tackles he’s shipped from a frustrated Ireland; Matt Doherty, Séamus Coleman following Jayson Molumby’s early cruncher.
In typical Irish fashion, a bright opening came to nothing. Had Molumby directed his header from Robbie Brady’s corner goalward, it might have been different but Declan Rice has been in a different league.
He arrived on cue to sidefoot the opener into the top corner and squared for Grealish to roll the ball into the bottom corner, through the legs of both Coleman and Nathan Collins.
It’s been easy street for England since that 26th minute second and the passes up front to Adam Idah aren’t sticking. The visitors bossing possession – 82% - underscores ireland’s second half task.
It will be interesting to see what impact Heimir will have during the break.
Roy Keane's thoughts on the first-half.
"Not going to be too hard on Ireland. Caught between rock and a hard place. More inclined to give England credit. Difficult 45 mins coming up for Ireland. Ireland can be more aggressive 30 yards from their own goal."
Ogbene runs at the English defence but his cross is overhit and it comes to nothing.
Trent Alexander-Arnold swings in a free-kick from the left flank but it sails over Harry Maguire's head.
England corner, cleared by Szmodics.
Ogbene crosses for his fellow Corkman but Idah heads well wide. Better from Ireland though.
Szmodics does well defensively but England dominating here.
Mad to think this is an England team without Foden, Bellingham and Palmer as well. They have some strength and depth.
England well in control now but Ireland are dangerous on the counter.
Brady hits the wall. Ireland make a mess of the rebound and England break. Kelleher produces another world class save to deny Kane. Should be 0-2.
Free Ireland on the edge of the box.
Molumby releases Szmodics and his shot from the edge of the box is saved.
Alexander-Arnold is playing like he normally does for Liverpool rather than he used to do for England, when he played under Southgate that is. Bad news for Ireland.
Coleman is going to be kept busy all evening against Gordon.
Alexander-Arnold's cross picks out Kane but he heads over. Good chance for the Bayern Munich man, probably should've scored.
Kelleher, Coleman, Collins, O'Shea, Doherty, Brady, Smallbone, Molumby, Ogbene, Szmodics, Idah.
Travers (GK), O'Leary (GK), O'Dowda, Omobamidele, Browne, Ferguson, O'Brien, McAteer, Scales, Knight, Robinson, Parrott.
Pickford, Alexander-Arnold, Rice, Maguire, Saka, Kane, Grealish, Gordon, Colwill, Guehi, Mainoo.
Lewis, Stones, Gallagher, Livramento, Henderson (GK), Konsa, Gibbs'White, Angel, Bowen, Eze, Pope (GK), Madueke.
Molumby heads wide at the back post from Brady's excellent corner. Big chance!
Coleman and Grealish have strong words for each other. This is fiesty already.
Corner Ireland.
Big switch from Trent Alexander-Arnold but Anthony Gordon handles it.
Some atmosphere here at the moment, hopefully the performance matches it.
English anthem loudly booed.
Now it's time for the anthems after the President has left the pitch.
Seems like Lee Carsley sat in the wrong dugout when he came out. Also seems like somebody in a full kit just ran onto the pitch and lined up with the England team. Removed relatively quickly.
The teams are out on the pitch, time for the anthems starting with the visitors.
The Irish fans have unfurled a flag which reads; 'Twas the year of '88' with a flag of Jack Charlton behind it.
Need to put ‘em under pressure this evening! pic.twitter.com/3ylUiM7rBA
— Andrew Horgan (@AndrewHorgan) September 7, 2024
The teams have returned to the dressing rooms. It's almost time for kick-off.
Thin Lizzy's 'The boys are back in town' is ringing around the Aviva. Interesting song choice today! To be fair, I think they usually play it pre-match. Now U2's 'The streets have no name' is being played.
And for anyone at all interested, here is the Irish Examiner's view from the Press box. Not too shabby.
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Really loud boos as Declan Rice and Jack Grealish's name is read out on the PA. Not too many boos for Lee Carsley. Nice to see the fans enjoying the sunshine before kick-off. No sign of trouble.
Roy Keane and Ian Wright are in the ITV Studio for this one. Here are the thoughts of both in the build-up to kick-off."
It's a 'welcome to reality' of coaching England. It is unfair but that is the industry we are in. The priority is trying to win football matches and hopefully that takes care of everything else.
"I feel for him because it is one of the biggest opportunities of his life. For me it is a storm in a teacup. Nobody spoke about the anthem when he won the Euro's with the Under-21s."
Few boos as Harry Kane leads England out for the warm-up. Loud cheers for the Irish team before that. As expected.
And here is the team Lee Carsley has selected.
Pickford, Alexander-Arnold, Rice, Maguire, Saka, Kane, Grealish, Gordon, Colwill, Guehi, Mainoo.
Lewis, Stones, Gallagher, Livramento, Henderson (GK), Konsa, Gibbs'White, Angel, Bowen, Eze, Pope (GK), Madueke.
And the team news is in. Ireland line-up as follow although it may not be until kick off that we get a clearer indication of the formation. UEFA has it as a 4-4-2.
Kelleher, Coleman, Collins, O'Shea, Doherty, Brady, Smallbone, Molumby, Ogbene, Szmodics, Idah.
Travers (GK), O'Leary (GK), O'Dowda, Omobamidele, Browne, Ferguson, O'Brien, McAteer, Scales, Knight, Robinson, Parrott.
Met Ronnie Whelan on the way into the stadium. He was in good form but fair to say he's not very confident of getting a positive result. We'll see. The teams could tell a lot and they will be announced shortly.
Welcome to the Irish Examiner’s live blog.
My name is Andrew Horgan and I am fortunate enough to be in position at the Aviva Stadium, alongside John Fallon and Brendan O’Brien who will be providing analysis and videos from the match, to keep you up to date on the best of the action as the Republic of Ireland take on England.
Heimir Hallgrímsson takes charge of the Boys in Green for the very first time and it just so happens to be against the three lions, now managed by former Ireland midfielder Lee Carsley, who is also set to make his debut in their dugout.
Kick-off is at 5pm which isn’t too far away now so to keep you entertained until then, feel free to read some of our previews below ahead of what should be a memorable encounter.
Dion Fanning says Ireland v England isn't a rivalry at the moment, but an encounter between two countries playing different versions of the same game.
John Fallon reminds Irish fans not to forget that Ireland snubbed Declan Rice and Jack Grealish before they snubbed Ireland.
And Brendan O’Brien spoke to Seamus Coleman in the build-up and the captain admitted 'They chose who they wanted to represent' in relation to the Dublin return of Rice and Grealish.