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Attendance: 51,700
Republic of Ireland national football team
Euro Champ Qualifying | Group Stage
Nov 18, 2019 at 7.45pm UK
 
Denmark national football team

1-1

Doherty (85')
FT(HT: 0-0)

Ireland vs. Denmark: Five talking points ahead of crucial qualifier

Ireland vs. Denmark: Five talking points ahead of crucial qualifier
© Reuters
Mick McCarthy's side are out for revenge after their defeat to the Danes in 2017.

The Republic of Ireland can clinch their place at Euro 2020 with victory over Denmark in Dublin on Monday evening.

Mick McCarthy's men will run out knowing a win in their final Group D fixture will secure a top-two finish and mean they avoid a tricky play-off campaign.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at some of the talking points surrounding a crucial game.

Heavy artillery

McCarthy took few risks for Thursday night's 3-1 friendly win over New Zealand when he left most of his key men sitting on the sidelines with the Danes firmly in mind. Goalkeeper Darren Randolph, just one game into his comeback from a thigh injury, and striker David McGoldrick, who missed last month's double-header in Georgia and Switzerland, are fit to return to a team which is missing only suspended skipper Seamus Coleman.

Surprise package?

Shamrock Rovers midfielder Jack Byrne may have played himself into contention for a role against the Danes
Shamrock Rovers midfielder Jack Byrne may have played himself into contention for a role against the Danes (Brian Lawless/PA)

If the manager's team selection against the All Whites was a tacit admission that those who played major roles would not be expected to do so again on Monday evening, Jack Byrne's withdrawal with 27 minutes remaining might have been significant. The Shamrock Rovers midfielder's invention and confidence on the ball could prove useful in a tight encounter and he may just have played his way into McCarthy's thoughts.

Troy of the Rovers?

Seventeen-year-old Tottenham striker Troy Parrott was quietly impressive on his first senior appearance for his country against New Zealand having proved his potency at Under-21 level. While it would be a push to expect him to contribute in such a high-profile fixture, he has remained with the squad and it would be in keeping with his meteoric rise if he got a chance to prove his worth and did just that.

Revenge mission

Christian Eriksen scored a hat-trick as Denmark beat Ireland 5-1 in Dublin two years ago
Christian Eriksen scored a hat-trick as Denmark beat Ireland 5-1 in Dublin two years ago (Mike Egerton/PA)

A succession of Ireland players have been at pains to deny that revenge is on their minds as they prepare for the game, but for those who were involved when the Danes came to Dublin for the second leg of a World Cup play-off two years ago and left 5-1 winners, the scars remain. Righting the wrongs of that evening may not be the main focus, but victory this time around would be all the sweeter as a result.

Exorcising the ghost

France's William Gallas (second right) scores against Ireland following Thierry Henry's unseen handball
France's William Gallas (second right) scores against Ireland following Thierry Henry's unseen handball (Martin Rickett/PA)

November 18 is a date which is engraved into the Irish sporting psyche. It was on that day in 2009 that the Republic drew 1-1 with France in Paris as their dreams of making it to the World Cup in South Africa were ripped apart on a night which will always be remembered for Thierry Henry's unpunished handball. A win this time around might just create a more positive association.

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Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill pictured on November 16, 2019
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Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Spain Spain870121
Q Scotland flag Scotland852117
3 Norway Norway832311
4 Georgia Georgia82248
5 Cyprus Cyprus80080

Group B

TeamPWDLPTS
Q France France871022
Q Netherlands Netherlands860218
3 Greece Greece841313
4 Ireland Rep. Ireland82066
5 Gibraltar flag Gibraltar80080

Group C

TeamPWDLPTS
Q England flag England862020
Q Italy Italy842214
3 Ukraine Ukraine842214
4 Macedonia N. Macedonia82248
5 Malta flag Malta80080

Group D

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Turkey Turkey852117
Q Croatia Croatia851216
3 Wales flag Wales833212
4 Armenia Armenia82248
5 Latvia Latvia81073

Group E

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Albania national flag Albania843115
Q Czech Republic Czech Republic843115
3 Poland Poland832311
4 Republic of Moldova Moldova824210
5 Faroe Islands Faroe Islands80262

Group F

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Belgium Belgium862020
Q Austria Austria861119
3 Sweden Sweden831410
4 Azerbaijan Azerbaijan82157
5 Estonia Estonia80171

Group G

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Hungary Hungary853018
Q Serbia Serbia842214
3 Montenegro Montenegro832311
4 Lithuania Lithuania81346
5 Bulgaria Bulgaria80444

Group H

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Denmark Denmark1071222
Q Slovenia Slovenia1071222
3 Finland Finland1060418
4 Kazakhstan Kazakhstan1060418
5 Northern Ireland flag N. Ireland103079
6 San Marino flag San Marino1000100

Group I

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Romania Romania1064022
Q Switzerland Switzerland1045117
3 Israel Israel1043315
4 Belarus Belarus1033412
5 Kosovo flag Kosovo1025311
6 Andorra flag Andorra100282

Group J

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Portugal Portugal10100030
Q Slovakia Slovakia1071222
3 Luxembourg flag Luxembourg1052317
4 Iceland Iceland1031610
5 Bosnia Bosnia H'vina103079
6 Liechtenstein flag Liechtenstein1000100


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