It won’t be a game that will define or save the Stephen Kenny era but the Ireland boss is planning on his first victory over Andorra tonight.
11 games into his tenure and Kenny has yet to register a victory as Republic of Ireland and last month’s defeat to Luxembourg piled serious pressure on Kenny.
Since last October these two friendlies game should have been pressure less. It was Kenny who oversaw the final steps in not making it to Euro 2020. However the presiding eight months have not gone to plan.
"From our point of view, we're looking for a good performance and win the game, some players will be looking to make their mark so we're looking forward to it” said Kenny pre-match.
Victory this evening won’t set the pulse races. Anything but a convincing victory come bring the curtain down extremely early on the experiment.
"Andorra have changed the way they're trying to play as traditionally, they've always dropped off but in the last camp, they tried to press so it will be interesting tomorrow” added Kenny.
Talking up in Andorra can be taken in two different ways, respectively talking about a team ranked 134th in the World. Or a nervousness about how it won’t go to plan.
Andorra have always been stubborn, even the team which made the 2002 World cup found them a hard nut to crack. Which they eventually did, but an Irish team who have scored just 20 goals in the last four years aren’t breathing confidence.
"We've been practising a few things on the training ground due to the extra time we've had on the grass. We've had a really good week of training and really impressed with the application of the squad.
"It's important we look to take that same attitude from training into tomorrow's match."
Confidence is low and for once it’s more than the result that matters.
Captain Seamus Coleman will miss the Andorra match as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury ahead of the Hungary fixture on Tuesday, June 8.
Midfielder Sammie Szmodics has been ruled out of the Andorra and Hungary fixtures through a shoulder injury and will return home. Chiedozie Ogbene is a doubt for the Andorra match with a thigh strain.
Republic of Ireland - Andorra & Hungary
Goalkeepers: Caoimhin Kelleher (Liverpool), Gavin Bazunu (Rochdale, on loan from Manchester City), Mark Travers (AFC Bournemouth).
Defenders: Seamus Coleman (Everton), Matt Doherty (Tottenham Hotspur), Lee O’Connor (Tranmere Rovers, on loan from Celtic), James McClean (Stoke City), Ryan Manning (Swansea City), Shane Duffy (Brighton and Hove Albion), Dara O’Shea (West Bromwich Albion), John Egan (Sheffield United), Andrew Omobamidele (Norwich City).
Midfielders: Josh Cullen (Anderlecht), Conor Hourihane (Swansea City, on loan from Aston Villa), Harry Arter (Nottingham Forest), Jason Knight (Derby County), Jayson Molumby (Preston North End, on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion), Jamie McGrath (St. Mirren), Daniel Mandroiu (Shamrock Rovers).
Forwards: James Collins (Cardiff City), Adam Idah (Norwich City), Troy Parrott (Tottenham Hotspur), Chiedozie Ogbene (Rotherham United), Ronan Curtis (Portsmouth), Daryl Horgan (Wycombe Wanderers).
