Shay Given was the hero as the Republic of Ireland returned from Montenegro with a hard-earned point to keep their World Cup qualifying campaign on track.

Four days after opening their account with a 2-1 win over Georgia, Giovanni Trapattoni's side were exposed to intense pressure at both ends of a tight contest.

 

Given had to make excellent saves to deny Montenegro skipper Mirko Vucinic after three minutes and then again after 74 minutes.  But the Newcastle goalkeeper saved the best for last when he acrobatically clawed away Stevan Jovetic's deflected 78th minute effort to preserve his clean sheet.

 

Ireland had their chances too with Robbie Keane forcing a good reaction save from Vukasin Poleksic, and they might have left Podgorica with all three points had Estonian referee Sten Kaldma spotted defender Radoslav Batak handling in the box on half time.

 

In the event, an away draw against a side determined to make a nonsense of their place in the last group of seeds in the qualifying competition could hardly be regarded as anything other than a positive outcome.

 

Keane led his players out into a bear-pit of a stadium as a hugely partisan crowd prepared to roar on their country to what they hoped would  be the first competitive victory of their short football history.  Vucinic led the way as a lone striker with excellent support from hugely talented 18 year old Fiorentina midfielder Jovetic and Elsad Zverotic, and Trapattoni's side had to weather something of a storm in the early stages.

 

Given was in action after three minutes, pulling off a good save low to his left after initially coming from his line  and then stopping as Jovetic played Vucinic in.  The visitors were having to work desperately hard to force their way into the game with Steven Reid, who was a doubt before kick-off with a knee problem, and Glenn Whelan scrapping for every ball in an attempt to protect the men behind them.

 

But as time wore on, Ireland started to draw Montenegro's sting, and an injury-time defender Radoslav Batak made a mess of clearing Stephen Hunt's  cross and appeared to handle, although referee Kaldma was unimpressed.  Ireland started the second half at a much higher tempo and it was from a free-kick that they almost took the lead on 56 minutes.  Steve Finnan floated the ball into the penalty area, where Kevin Doyle's challenge helped to divert it into Keane's path.  The Liverpool striker spun and sent a firmly struck, left-foot half-volley towards goal, but keeper Vukasin Poleksic was well-placed to beat his effort away.

 

Ireland went close when Whelan fired wide and Doyle volleyed straight at Poleksic, but Given came to the rescue twice within four minutes  when he blocked  Vucinic's near-post effort and then somehow managed to turn Jovetic's deflected shot away after finding himself wrong-footed.

 

Ireland's next game is at home to Cyprus on the 15th of October.

 

Thursday 11 September 2008