Martin O'Neill's second game in charge of the Republic of Ireland ended in a 0-0 draw in Poland. A much-changed Ireland side gave as good as it got at the INEA Stadium, the site of Euro 2012 finals defeats by Croatia and Italy, in a hard-fought game which ended 0-0 despite the best efforts of both teams. Defender Stephen Kelly went closest to winning it for the visitors with a first-half header, while Poland substitute Lukasz Teodorczyk blasted just over from distance in a rousing second half. But ultimately, the spoils had to be shared, and that would no doubt have pleased O'Neill more than opposite number Adam Nawalka, whose side lost 2-0 to Slovakia in his first game at the helm on Friday evening. By contrast, O'Neill opened his account at the earliest possible opportunity with a 3-0 friendly victory over Latvia, and the stalemate in Poznan simply maintained the positivity within the camp.
Winger Aiden McGeady, who starred in Dublin on Friday, was influential during his 62 minutes on the pitch, and there were flashes too from Celtic striker Anthony Stokes as he attempts belatedly to make his mark at international level. But perhaps just as pleasing for O'Neill, the defensive solidity which characterised the early years of Giovanni Trapattoni's reign was in evidence once again despite changes at the back. Poland's dangerman Robert Lewandowski was largely well contained throughout as Ireland recorded a second successive clean sheet. The frustration now for O'Neill and assistant Roy Keane is they will not see their players again until March, when Ireland are scheduled to meet Serbia in a friendly.
