“Austria, Wales and Serbia will be happy enough to be in the group. I’m happy enough to be in the group, too.”
That was Martin O’Neill’s assessment of the Republic of Ireland’s World Cup qualifying group for 2018.
The Irish were given a bit of a reprieve, luck O’Neill would argue was due after their European group that the Republic were supposed to be second seeds for.
The boys in green came into this draw as fourth seeds though and with all sorts of nightmare scenarios that could’ve played out.
See Northern Ireland’s group for example:
Here are the http://t.co/E1CZV2JnXk #WorldCup2018 groups involving home nations
Thoughts? #bbcfootball pic.twitter.com/QFTSURsM7E
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) July 25, 2015
So Ireland fans were delighted with their lot and took to the world of Twitter to celebrate a ‘grand’ draw that we’re all ‘happy enough’ with. We’ll take it all day long and that.
In saying that though, the Welsh and Serbs and Austrians were even happier than us.
Thumbs up all round
Ireland draw Wales, Austria and Serbia in Group D of the 2018 World Cup qualifiers. #notthegermans #COYBIG pic.twitter.com/B0qN3h61LM
— Today FM 💛 (@TodayFM) July 25, 2015
Not a bad draw, not a bad draw at all. #WorldCup2018 pic.twitter.com/Cf4FoQTJRt
— BoyleSports (@BoyleSports) July 25, 2015
The commentators have already started their work
So Ireland will play Moldova for the first time ever and Serbia (minus Montenegro) for the first time competitively.
— Fredorrarci (@Fredorrarci) July 25, 2015
Football fwends
Trip to the Republic of Ireland on the cards then! #TogetherStronger #WalesAway
— Dan 🏴 (@DI93_) July 25, 2015
Don’t… just, don’t
https://twitter.com/StretfordEnders/status/624995047390507008
Riding our luck again
Ya have to be happy with Irelands #WC2018 group! delighted to have avoided d south American teams again-must b a record! #Ireland #football
— Alan O Riordan (@AORiordan3) July 25, 2015
Everybody!
https://twitter.com/scottreid1980/status/624989514604380160
Not bad is the best we can hope for really
https://twitter.com/DanielLane101/status/624989513761337344
Star-studded approval (not for Sepp though)
Great draw at last for Ireland in the World Cup. It a shame the thing is on in Russia 👎. Won't be making that trip if we make it . #COYBIG 🍀
— Kieran Donaghy (@starryboy14) July 25, 2015
Delaney must have promised Putin the Book of Kells for that draw! Some bit of business all the same. #WorldCup2018
— D Clerkin (@clerkin_d) July 25, 2015
Boom city
boom take that draw all day long tough but nowhere near as bad as it could have been; come on ireland @YouBoysInGreen
— kev_the_red (@Kev_the_red) July 25, 2015
https://twitter.com/FergOShea/status/624986942292279296
Who cares about the Euros?
Ireland are going to win the #WorldCup 🇮🇪⚽️🍀 !!!!
— Stephen McNally (@steviemcnally) July 25, 2015
https://twitter.com/deckymch/status/624989256566620160
Ireland have got as good a group as we could have wished for… Qualification a realistic expectation!
— Darran O'Sullivan (@Darransull86) July 25, 2015
https://twitter.com/LabourEoin/status/624989661937692673
Buzzin for the world cup qualifiers, great draw for Ireland
— Ryan brogan (@brogie95) July 25, 2015
Have to be happy with that World Cup group!!! #Ireland #WorldCup
— Dermot Brick Molloy (@BrickMolloy) July 25, 2015
We’re not getting ahead of ourselves though
https://twitter.com/Ciaran_O/status/624987483089018880
Sobering perspective
Ireland ..England ..Scotland ..Wales ..relax ……we're all muck …..nobody gives a fuck about us,…they all laugh at us .and rightly so
— JungleLion (@JungleLion_) July 25, 2015
Ah, lads
All the other teams in that group are looking at Ireland and thinking 'points'.
— Kieran Cunningham (@KCsixtyseven) July 25, 2015
The premortems are starting already
Decent World cup draw for fourth seeds Republic of Ireland. If only we had a more adventurous Manager – and a team.
— Alan Dempsey (@almdemo) July 25, 2015
Very good chance Ireland will draw at least six games in that group. In fact put €5 on 1-1 for every Ireland game, you'll prob get a profit.
— Joe Callaghan (@JoeCallaghan84) July 25, 2015
Stuff it, we’re rubbish
If Ireland can't come out of that group we don't deserve to be at any World Cup #WorldCup2018
— Mike (@LuimneachGooner) July 25, 2015
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