Week 1 Wales v Rep Ireland 17th November 2007 A Cardiff Chance?

My first port of call would have been with my club Bohemians but the season has just ended so my first destination is Cardiff and my first gamble is Rep Ireland to beat Wales at 6/4.Not a bad price considering Wales main scoring threats Bellamy and Bale( from set pieces) are both out of the game.Ireland have been rocked by injuries at the back but Darren O'Dea has played in the San Siro for the Celts and should have no fears if needed to play at the Millennium Stadium.

Indeed,a fairly empty Millennium Stadium it will be; after both teams disastrous showings in the current qualifying campaign, surely a move to Swansea's Liberty Stadium or Wrexham's Racecourse Ground would have been a more suitable location and would have given the atmosphere this local derby deserves.
Ah yes, The Racecourse Ground,scene of one of our most convincing away wins ever in Feb 1991.Pitch covered in sleet,old fashioned orange ball and Quinny spending more time on his arse than usual. Quinn got off his arse to score 2 goals that night and an old favourite of mine Johnny Byrne got the other. John Byrne where is he now? Played for and scored bags of goal for QPR, Sunderland,Brighton and even played for windswept and interesting teams such as Le Havre and eh, Millwall.

The following season Byrne nearly scored in every round of the FA Cup for Sunderland to equal Peter Osgood's record with Chelsea in 1970.Alas, he met the mighty reds(Liverpool) and he could not find the net in a 2-0 defeat. Although he did find a winners medal after the Duchess of Kent gave Sunderland the wrong medals,he was tempted to do a runner but sorted the Liverpool boys out under the tunnel.

Can we on Saturday sort the Welsh boys out on the pitch to earn the pot €75.Yes, I think we can.It is still a must win game with World Cup seeding points up for grabs and after the Staunton shambles we are owed a performance.
STATS

The record between Rep Ireland and Wales is P 1o W4 D1 L5 F11 A11. Hopefully we can make it all square this week and get off to a winning start!

TRIVIA

Wales have played against the Rep Of Ireland away in 5 different grounds.Name them.