Mike
16-11-2006, 07:55
Steve Staunton's unwanted run of five matches without a victory finally came to an end with an expected triumph over a side with a reputation of being the worst in Europe.
Republic of Ireland manager Staunton started his reign earlier in the year with a 3-0 thumping of Sweden, but since then little has gone right for the 37-year-old.
Against San Marino in this Euro 2008 qualifier Ireland did what they had to do, with captain Robbie Keane ultimately taking his all-time leading goalscorer's tally to 28 with a hat-trick.
The Tottenham striker was joined on the scoresheet by Kevin Doyle, the Reading forward netting the first for his country on his fifth appearance, with the win initiated by Andy Reid with a goal credited to the Charlton midfielder - despite his free-kick taking a wicked deflection off the face of Davide Simoncini.
While the scoreline failed to match the 13-0 and 7-0 hidings handed out to San Marino by Germany and the Czech Republic in their first two Group D matches, at least Ireland have a win under their belt.
San Marino were not expected to offer stern resistance, not when you consider they had lost all 36 of their previous European Championship qualifying games, conceding 163 goals into the bargain.
However, in the back of the mind the memory of the debacle in Cyprus was still fresh when Ireland were humiliated 5-2 just over five weeks ago.
Republic of Ireland manager Staunton started his reign earlier in the year with a 3-0 thumping of Sweden, but since then little has gone right for the 37-year-old.
Against San Marino in this Euro 2008 qualifier Ireland did what they had to do, with captain Robbie Keane ultimately taking his all-time leading goalscorer's tally to 28 with a hat-trick.
The Tottenham striker was joined on the scoresheet by Kevin Doyle, the Reading forward netting the first for his country on his fifth appearance, with the win initiated by Andy Reid with a goal credited to the Charlton midfielder - despite his free-kick taking a wicked deflection off the face of Davide Simoncini.
While the scoreline failed to match the 13-0 and 7-0 hidings handed out to San Marino by Germany and the Czech Republic in their first two Group D matches, at least Ireland have a win under their belt.
San Marino were not expected to offer stern resistance, not when you consider they had lost all 36 of their previous European Championship qualifying games, conceding 163 goals into the bargain.
However, in the back of the mind the memory of the debacle in Cyprus was still fresh when Ireland were humiliated 5-2 just over five weeks ago.