MATT'S MORE LIKE IT!

Doherty back in favour and he heads a valuable winner as cynical Ireland show their darker side

- BY MARK MCCADDEN

HAVE Ireland finally mastered the dark arts?

Last night in Bulgaria, they recorded a 2-1 win that was far more comfortable than the scoreline suggested, as they ran down the clock, won cheap free-kicks and controlled the tempo of the game, even in the late stages as Bulgaria chased an equaliser.

It's been a while since we've seen the Boys in Green play with such a cynical streak and it suits them.

It's advantage Ireland ahead of Sunday's second-leg in Dublin, thanks to goals from Finn Azaz and Matt Doherty, which turned the game on its head after Marin Petkov's early opener.

The early concession was a real gut-punch, as all the play prior to Petkov's sixth minute strike was at the other end of the pitch, while the ease with which Bulgaria moved the ball across the 18 yard line was alarming.

Lukas Petkov and Filip Krastev moved the ball from left-to-right, with the latter spinning away from trouble and into space, before a quick change of direction teed up the scorer on the edge of the area.

Neither Dara O'Shea nor Ryan Manning could get close enough to the Levski Sofia forward as he let fly, sending the ball in off the foot of the right-hand post.

There was little Caoimhin Kelleher could do, such was the precision of the shot and so feeble were the efforts to close down a trio of Bulgarian attackers who could barely believe their luck.