Ireland 1 USA 1 - Aviva Stadium

Ireland 2 (Burke 57, Judge 90)

USA 1 (45 + 1)

It was a night all about two things. John O’Shea played his 118th and final game for the Boys in Green, while Shamrock Rovers’ Graham Burke started the game.

The result, true of all friendlies, but particularly those played in June, was of little relevance.

Burke wasn’t overawed by the occasion of his first international start. He was involved in Ireland’s first meaningful chance in the tenth minute, as he headed the ball down for Jon Walters to hit it. The effort was just wide to the right of the goal.

James McClean tried his luck in the twentieth minute. The shot from thirty yards moved in the air, and Bill Hamid needed two attempts to claim the ball.

Tyler Adams came close for the visitors in the twenty-fourth minute. Ireland dealt with the initial danger from the corner, but the ball fell to Adams on the edge of the box. His shot was very nearly deflected in by Rubio Rubin close to goal.

The first big moment came in the thirty-fourth minute. John O’Shea was taken off, and the new Lansdowne Road could give them defender one final ovation.

The game went on, and Coleman had a chance on the stroke of half-time, but he pushed his effort, and it ended up hitting Walters, and going out harmlessly for a goal-kick.

Moments later, the US took the lead as Bobby Wood reacted quickest to Matt Maizga heading the a free-kick back across goal.

The second big moment of the game came in the fifty-seventh minute as Ireland equalised. Darragh Lenihan, who would later have a goal ruled out for offside, smashed the ball towards the goal, and Burke got the final touch. It was going in anyway, but the Rovers man made sure. It was his last involvement, as Martin O’Neill immediately called him to the line.

Walters should have given Ireland the lead in the sixty-third minute. Daryl Horgan burst in from the left, before losing control of the ball. It fell kindly for Walters however, but his effort from thirteen yards was wide to the right.

Shortly afterwards, Wood forced Colin Doyle into a save. In truth, it was a comfortable stop for the Ireland keeper. Moments later, Tim Weah blasted over, after a defensive header fell straight into his path.

As the game entered its ninetieth minute, Alan Judge smashed home the winner, taking the ball off the toe of McClean.

The end of the season, and a good night for the League of Ireland, with Coleman, McClean, Burke, Long, Horgan, and Stevens all appearing, having cut their teeth at home.

Ireland: Colin Doyle, Seamus Coleman, John O’Shea (c) (Darragh Lenihan 34), Shane Duffy (Enda Stevens 77), Callan O’Dowda (Alan Judge 88), James McClean, Declan Rice, Jeff Hendrick (Harry Arter 82), Jon Walters, Kevin Long, Graham Burke (Daryl Horgan 57)

Subs not used: Conor O’Malley, Shane Supple, Matt Doherty, Greg Cunningham, John Egan, Alan Browne, David Meyler.

USA: Bill Hamid, DeAndre Yedlin (Shaq Moore 70), Matt Maizga, Tyler Adams, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Weston McKennie (Joe Corona 81), Bobby Wood (Josh Sargent 70), Tim Weah, Jorge Villafana, Wil Trapp (c), Rubio Rubin (Luca De La Torre 77)

Subs not used: Zack Steffen, Andrija Novakovich, Eric Lichaj, Antonee Robinson, Tim Parker.

Yellow card: Carter-Vickers 30, Adams 49, Corona 88.

Referee: Andrew Dallas