Can Murphy Break His Nations Duck?

It looks increasingly likely that Daryl Murphy will be selected to play this evening in the first leg of Ireland’s crucial play-off first leg encounter with Bosnia Herzegovina.

Due in the main to injuries and suspensions to the Republic’s familiar attacking force, there is every possibility that Murphs will be in from the off and if he gets the green light then this could be his best chance ever to put his name on the score sheet!

Jonathan Walters is suspended and Shane Long has not recovered from his ankle injury and has not travelled. Robbie Keane will be in the squad but he is not the player he was and therefore will not be expected to start so here is Murphs big chance!

Unfortunately in seventeen appearances for the Republic of Ireland he has failed to find the net but he has come close on a number of occasions and the last time he started for the men in green was when they defeated the mighty Germans a few months ago, in the group stages of the Euro 2016 qualifying competition.

That night he played for 65 minutes before Shane Long came on in his place and scored the only goal of the game that gave the Irish an unlikely win.

For Ipswich Town, Daryl Murphy has usually been at his best when he is given the responsibility of leading the attack and this was apparent for the blues when he took up the mantle from David McGoldrick a couple of seasons ago and helped to keep our season alive. When the going gets tough Murphs seems to gets going!

I believe he can do the same for Ireland tonight and finally break his international duck because a few factors are beginning to work in his favour.

After a barren start to the season, when he failed to score in his first fifteen matches he then scored a hat-trick last week against Rotherham, which was his first for Ipswich Town!

The Irish injury crisis is also working to his advantage because I think he is a better player when he begins games.

Fortune they say favours the brave and I think tonight you will see a re-charged Daryl Murphy full of confidence and full of desire!

The Republic have a number of injuries in all areas of the park so they will do well to get anything from their opponents tonight.

A draw would be a great result and a narrow defeat would give them time to regroup before their home leg on Monday.

It will be a big ask for the Irish this evening but one thing they will always give you is their energy and their big hearts.

Daryl Murphy has both and all he needs now is a golden goal!


Frank Weston Editor of Vital Ipswich