Kilbane's calamity brings Republic back down to earth

Republic of Ireland 1 Bulgaria 1

(PA)

The Republic of Ireland scored a goal with historic haste last night, courtesy of Richard Dunne after 36 seconds, but the victory that moment promised, and the maintenance of a glorious sporting week for the Irish, were lost when one of Dunne's defensive colleagues, Kevin Kilbane, scored in the same net 73 minutes later.

Suddenly the feelgood factor that had swept across Croke Park from rugby and boxing was winded. It will take some reviving, and facing the world champions Italy in Bari on Wednesday night is hardly the ideal place to begin that process.

Giovanni Trapattoni understands that his compatriots top the group for a reason and, as he said of Bulgaria, "We must recognise that they have the better technical players". That was generous of Ireland's Italian coach but also accurate. Missing the likes of Dimitar Berbatov, the Bulgarians still showed the Irish how to play international football in midfield. Elsewhere they were less dynamic but again, as Trapattoni said, "A draw was a fair result".

The disappointment Trapattoni spoke of was that the first-minute lead was held for so long he had begun to "dream" of being able to go to his homeland and put on a display of strength. But admitting his players can be "anxious" in front of goal, Trapattoni knows that Wednesday will now be all about containment.

On Friday he and the Bulgaria manager Stanimir Stoilov agreed that a home win would "kill off" Bulgaria – the points gap between the two would have been 10 – but the draw left Stoilov feeling "satisfied". They have a game in hand and when the Irish travel to Sofia in June, the likes of Berbatov and Manchester City's Valeri Bojinov should be available.

The Irish optimism that preceded the game, and which grew after the first minute, seems less sustainable in the light of what is to come. But the Irish remain second in the group and cannot be forlorn about that.

What frustrated them was the messiness of Kilbane's own goal, which was an accident more than a mistake, and the fact that seven minutes before the equaliser Aiden McGeady had the sort of chance that must be buried at this level. McGeady, without a goal in 24 caps, squandered a 10-yard shot that had the 60,000 here groaning.

The mood had shifted across the match. Euphoria is no bad start and that is what greeted Dunne's downward, diving header after 36 seconds.

There was a certain amount of wailing on Thursday when Damien Duff departed the squad but his replacement, Stephen Hunt, does not lack pace or penetration. Winning a free-kick after 16 seconds due to his speed was proof of Hunt's desire as well.

The Reading player then took the kick. From 30 yards out he swished in a left-footed centre that John O'Shea met with a glance of the forehead. That diverted the ball to the far post where Dunne steamed in unmarked. Bulgaria's goalkeeper Dimitar Ivankov was left shellshocked.

But his teammates set about passing their way back into contention. Aston Villa's Stiliyan Petrov and Stanislav Angelov were most prominent and Shay Given made a flying save from Petrov in the fourth minute. Given made another from Blagoy Georgiev half an hour later.

But when the former Charlton player Radostin Kishishev took possession in the 74th minute, the Irish must have felt, though they were tiring, they were holding out with relative comfort. But Kishishev floated the ball over Kilbane's head, Petrov met it and cut it back. It then deflected off Kilbane and past Given.

Kevin Doyle and Robbie Keane had late chances to steal a winner. But it would have been theft and that is no basis to build World Cup qualification upon.

Bookings: Bulgaria: Milanov, Manolev, Kishishev.

Attendance: 60,002

Referee: Ivan Bebek (Croatia).

Man of the match: Petrov.

Match rating: 7/10