Last month, Kasey McAteer marked a professional milestone worth celebrating. Just three days later, on 2 June, he had a memorable first international goal for the Republic of Ireland in an enthralling 1-1 draw with Senegal in Dublin. The third-place match at the Aviva Stadium certainly lived up to the thrilling revenge battle between the two squads. The Republic of Ireland next played Senegal, ranked 19th in the FIFA rankings, 41 places higher than the Republic of Ireland.
The meeting was indeed remarkable both for the spirit of cooperation and for McAteer’s crowning accomplishment. It was the first meeting between Ireland and Senegal ever to take place at the Aviva Stadium. Then, in the 21st min, Kasey McAteer gave the Republic of Ireland the lead. It came from Senegal’s inability to defend a corner and he did well to tuck it home, raising dreams of a famous victory deep into the home crowd.
Leading up to McAteer’s strike, the Republic of Ireland had controlled the match. For Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, it was a rather uneventful first 45. It was heartening to see the Irish squad’s competitive spirit and hunger to move on. Ryan Manning went within inches of making it three nil but Senegal’s Antoine Mendy defended superbly to deny him.
Senegal put out an experimental side, with only two of their starting 11 against Togo in their last World Cup qualifier starting the game. As the game progressed, they showed serious grit. The introduction of Ismaila Sarr in the second half was the match-winner, though—literally. For the visitors, there was only one hero. In the 82nd minute, he connected for the equalizer! This goal highlighted Senegal’s ability to make the most out of opportunities as they continued to battle for an epic late equalizer.
Prior to that though, the Irish had opportunities to take a much larger lead. Will Smallbone, in fairness, had a gilt-edged chance to double the scoreline only to fire straight at the Senegalese custodian. Senegal’s Krepin Diatta came close to scoring, flashing a huge header just wide. It clipped the crossbar after Kelleher could only get a weak touch on it to send it onto the woodwork.
As the match approached its conclusion, Senegal’s prodigious 21-year-old replacement Lamine Camara took the decisive free-kick. Seeking to make it three with an even greater immediate impact, his shot didn’t get the requisite height over the defensive wall deep into injury time.
The draw seems a fitting result considering the fight both teams showed in the match. The Republic of Ireland delivered a performance full of industry and determination, leaving them with valuable experience against a formidable opponent.
McAteer’s goal and overall display will certainly give him confidence going into further matches. As the team continues to build their roster and now contend with the pressure of being pursued by higher-ranked opponents. The Republic of Ireland can proceed into their next fixtures with increased confidence after this hard-fought stalemate.
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