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Football

13th Oct 2018

“I should’ve punished them” – Hendrick explains controversial chance

Conan Doherty

Ireland had three attempts against Denmark.

One of them was on target – Cyrus Christie’s long range effort in the 71st minute.

Of of them was Jeff Hendrick’s chance – a one-on-one gifted because every Danish player had stopped to allow for Harry Arter to receive treatment.

Hendrick took the ball from Delaney though as he attempted to kick it out of play and he went straight through on Kasper Schmeichel with Denmark players wondering what he was doing.

That was Ireland’s best chance but it wasn’t taken and, from that fifth minute, a dull game petered out with no goals and nothing else to really talk about barring a harsh Shane Duffy yellow card at the end.

Speaking to Sky Sports afterwards though, Jeff Hendrick said he should’ve punished Denmark.

The Burnley midfielder explained that he didn’t realise what had happened but he was accepting that he had done much wrong because there was no whistle and there was a slight hesitance from Denmark to kick the ball out of play initially.

“I didn’t see Harry down behind me and, looking back, it was a bit easy to nick it off Delaney.

“But we’ve been told since we were kids to play until the whistle and I should’ve punished them.

“If I was them, I would’ve kicked the ball out of play.

“I should’ve punished them.

“What do you want me to do? There was no whistle.”

There wouldn’t be a whistle for that incident – unless it was a head injury – and the Danish frustration was that they were trying to kick the ball out of play before Hendrick intervened.

Kasper Schmeichel was livid with Hendrick even though he missed the chance and, asked after the game about the prospect of the ball going into the Denmark net, the goalkeeper was sharp.

“I think it would’ve been a disappointing day for fair play,” he said.

“It didn’t happen so it doesn’t matter.”

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Jeff Hendrick