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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
1 Cyprus Cyprus00000
2 Georgia Georgia00000
3 Norway Norway00000
Q Scotland flag Scotland00000
Q Spain Spain00000

Group B

TeamPWDLPTS
Q France France00000
2 Gibraltar flag Gibraltar00000
3 Greece Greece00000
Q Netherlands Netherlands00000
5 Ireland Rep. Ireland00000

Group C

TeamPWDLPTS
Q England flag England00000
Q Italy Italy00000
3 Malta flag Malta00000
4 Macedonia N. Macedonia00000
5 Ukraine Ukraine00000

Group D

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1 Armenia Armenia00000
Q Croatia Croatia00000
3 Latvia Latvia00000
Q Turkey Turkey00000
5 Wales flag Wales00000

Group E

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Q Albania national flag Albania00000
Q Czech Republic Czech Republic00000
3 Faroe Islands Faroe Islands00000
4 Republic of Moldova Moldova00000
5 Poland Poland00000

Group F

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Q Austria Austria00000
2 Azerbaijan Azerbaijan00000
Q Belgium Belgium00000
4 Estonia Estonia00000
5 Sweden Sweden00000

Group G

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1 Bulgaria Bulgaria00000
Q Hungary Hungary00000
3 Lithuania Lithuania00000
4 Montenegro Montenegro00000
Q Serbia Serbia00000

Group H

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Denmark Denmark00000
2 Finland Finland00000
3 Kazakhstan Kazakhstan00000
4 Northern Ireland flag N. Ireland00000
5 San Marino flag San Marino00000
Q Slovenia Slovenia00000

Group I

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Andorra flag Andorra00000
2 Belarus Belarus00000
3 Israel Israel00000
4 Kosovo flag Kosovo00000
Q Romania Romania00000
Q Switzerland Switzerland00000

Group J

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Bosnia Bosnia H'vina00000
2 Iceland Iceland00000
3 Liechtenstein flag Liechtenstein00000
4 Luxembourg flag Luxembourg00000
Q Portugal Portugal00000
Q Slovakia Slovakia00000


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