O'SHEA SAYS RESULT AGAINST PORTUGUAL IS ALL ABOUT US

IT'S going to be a night when 90 minutes of hard work and focus could be undone in a split second.

- BY MARK McCADDEN

Whether it's a loss of concentration or the failure to track a runner, there are certain elements where the blame can be laid solely within the home dressing room on Thursday night.

But on these David versus Goliath occasions, there is another factor that can undo the smaller team.

In Lisbon last month, Slovakian referee Ivan Kružliak inexplicably failed to review and overturn his decision to award a penalty to Portugal late in the second-half against Ireland.

Scoreless at the time, and with the Boys in Green repelling wave after wave of attack, he pointed to the spot when he adjudged the ball to have smacked Dara O'Shea on the hand.

Replays could not prove conclusively that the ball did, in fact, hit his hand, while O'Shea protested that his chest took the full impact of the shot. Yet the decision stood.

Fortunately, Ronaldo was thwarted by Caoimhin Kelleher's trailing leg and justice, it seemed, was served. Until Ruben Neves popped up with an injury-time winner.

But on another night Ronaldo - who is zero for two so far - might have ended his spot-kick drought against Irish goalkeepers.

It's a challenge that so-called weaker teams often face when they come up against an opposition packed with star names. Perhaps it's perception, but refereeing decisions seem to be weighted against them more often than not.

John O'Shea recalled how the Irish bench could hardly believe in Lisbon that the penalty decision stood.