Oct 11,2024
Player of the match Robbie Brady says that the squad can "sense something is coming" with the Republic of Ireland team following tonight's 2-1 victory over Finland in Helsinki.
Brady, who set up Liam Scales' equaliser, scored the Boys in Green's late winner, controlling a Festy Ebosele cross superbly at the back post before smashing the ball into the roof of the net.
It means a first ever away win for Ireland in the Nations League, but more importantly it lifts the feeling around the squad after a tough international window, with two chastening defeats to England and Greece last month.
"We can sense something is coming. There's millions of pounds worth of young talent in that dressing room and (we're) just delighted to get the win.
"Scalesy's done unbelievable to get himself a goal and Festy was a bit of magic, I thought he did excellently when he came on; pace and power and a great delivery for the second."
On his winning goal Brady added: "I think I heard someone shouting to try a cross but as soon as it sat up I said I'd hit it, and lucky enough it went in."
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The equaliser for Scales was his first in an Irish shirt, heading home Brady's cross to give Finnish goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky no chance.
For the Wicklow native, who has been getting regular Champions League football with Celtic this season, it's another notch on his belt five years after he was playing in the League of Ireland with UCD.
"It's brilliant, it was a great feeling, and the fans just make it that bit better," he said of his equaliser after the game.
"We've been due a win, especially away from home, and to win it like that was brilliant.
"I don't get many, I've had a few this season already. In the last 10 or 15 games I've more than I had in the previous two seasons already.
"Droughts come as well as a defender but hopefully I can chip in with a few more.
"It's always been top of the list for me so to check that off is amazing. I'll reflect on it tonight and take it all in."
Scales heaped praise on Brady for his winner, which turned a decent night for Ireland into a great one.
"The ability to take it down and fire it into the roof of the net, he's got that in abundance. You saw it in the delivery for my goal. He deserves it, as well. He's had to work hard and get himself back in and playing for us.
"A brilliant feeling, a brilliant goal, and you could see it in our faces when we were celebrating."
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On what the result might mean for the national side, Scales said that he hopes it can be the catalyst for a turnaround in fortunes.
"It'll give us confidence and I think that's been missing. We want to make a habit of winning tough games away from home, winning games at the Aviva.
"We don't want to make it a one-off; we want to make it more regular. That's the plan, take the confidence into the next few fixtures and hopefully pick up as many points as we can."
