Even if one thought, Denmark would edge us to a place at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, no one could have predicted the pasting we got at the Aviva Stadium tonight.
A bright start thanks to Shane Duffy's header had us dreaming initially as our commentators Dave McIntyre and Kevin Kilbane channeled:
Missed the @shaneduffy header that gave us a dream start?
👂 @kdkilbane77 @DaveMcIntyreNT didn't hold in the celebrations!!! #COYBIG #IRLDEN #OTB pic.twitter.com/1Jsk4uwxcK
— Off The Ball (@offtheball) November 14, 2017
But as often happens of late, an early goal morphed into a curse. First a goal was bundled in via the unfortunate Cyrus Christie by the post and then Denmark's star man Christian Eriksen struck the first of his eventual hat-trick:
Just when things were looking positive, the Danes strike twice in quick succession with Eriksen scoring an admittedly brilliant second!@kdkilbane77 @DaveMcIntyreNT sum it up as it happened #COYBIG #OTB #IRLDEN pic.twitter.com/eNl0NL328J
— Off The Ball (@offtheball) November 14, 2017
He struck again...
It really does look like game, set and match now. Here's @DaveMcIntyreNT @kdkilbane77 on that second Eriksen goal to put 🇩🇰 Denmark 3-1 up #OTB #COYBIG #IRLDEN pic.twitter.com/Dy2pqtrUjD
— Off The Ball (@offtheball) November 14, 2017
And again...
.@DaveMcIntyreNT @kdkilbane77 already sounded despondent before that man again, Eriksen, got his third and Denmark's fourth... #OTB #COYBIG #IRLDEN pic.twitter.com/ayNp2hN9nf
— Off The Ball (@offtheball) November 14, 2017
Before Nicklas Bendtner put salt in the wounds with a late penalty to leave the scores at 5-1:
Even Bendtner got in on the act. As @kdkilbane77 says, "It's an embarrassment"
How would you sum up tonight's Ireland performance in one word?#COYBIG #IRLDEN #OTB pic.twitter.com/6ZTGkQ1FLM
— Off The Ball (@offtheball) November 14, 2017