Returning Irish firepower can help end campaign on a high, insists Kenny
Stephen Kenny insists Ireland have the firepower to end their doomed Euro qualification campaign on a high.
Four defeats from their opening five games means only an improbable sequence of results, including three Ireland victories starting tomorrow against Greece will give their interest life.
It was the loss to Gus Poyet’s fourth seeds in June that derailed their outside chance of usurping France or Netherlands for one of the automatic tickets to Germany next.
Further defeats to that pair last month virtually applied the last rites but the Ireland manager has pointed to the return of his forward artillery as a reason to be positive about a late reprieve.
“We didn’t have Evan Ferguson, Mikey Johnston or Callum Robinson for the last window so it’s great to have them back,” said Kenny, whose only withdrawal for this double-header that includes Gibraltar in Faro on Monday is uncapped Sammie Szmodics due to family reasons.
"There was criticism that we didn't create enough chances late on but those three have returned, even if they haven’t played many club games lately.
"We didn't play well on the day against Greece, I don't think it was necessarily tactical. It was not a good performance.
"We came out the wrong side of a tight game. We didn't perform well on the day. It was probably one of the few games, I think for example, the level of performance and intensity we brought to Holland and France here in Dublin, if we bring that level of intensity that we brought to the Dutch game, that's what I want from the players. I want them to bring that level of intensity was incredible.
"Also, there was a very high technical level at home to Holland - players demanding the ball in every area of the park and being confident to
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