Outclassed Ireland are simply no match for the brilliance of Ronaldo and Portugal

One goal in the first half from Joao Felix, two in the second period from Ronaldo, were the key stats from this game. So Portugal head off to Euro 2024 with a spring in their step but this was very demoralising for John O’Shea’s outfit. The scoreline would have looked far, far worse had it not been for a series of saves from Caoimhín Kelleher.

A nod must go in the direction of Portugal who had experience – Ronaldo was back in the side after missing two friendlies last week – and youth, some stunning attacking play from the likes of Rafael Leao and Joao Felix, scorer of their first goal.

O’Shea had promised that Ireland, his Ireland, would be “horrible” against big teams and tough to play against, but this was a very tame effort from the team in white.

While it was Ronaldo’s sheer class which carved out his two finishes, Portugal’s first goal was horrible defending from Ireland, a short corner from the playbook of their coach, and former FAI staffer, Anthony Barry.

Two things were clear from the opening few minutes. First, with more than a bite in some tackles, this was not a game Portugal were taking lightly, evidence of that in a stamp by Pepe on Sammie Szmodics in the second minute.

It was also evident that Portugal were going to have long spells of possession and test Ireland’s resolve – mental and physical – with patience from the home side as they were always willing to take a moment and wait for the perfect pass instead of a long ball sent up in hope.

So it was no surprise when Portugal took the lead on 18 minutes. They’d had half chances before that, a shot from Joao Felix blocked by Liam Scales and good work by Ronaldo to set up Fernandes, but a final ball into Ronaldo fell just short.

Kelleher had saved Ireland on 18 minutes as he stretched out his foot to deny Felix. But from the corner came the damage. The Irish defence was not as alert as was needed when a short corner by Joao Cancelo came to Fernandes. He picked out Felix, who spotted a gap in that wide-open Irish back line to fire home the eighth goal of his international career.

They almost had a second three minutes later. Cullen conceded a free-kick for a handball as he clashed with Ronaldo. The Portugal captain was always going to take the free-kick. His effort, with a deflection off Adam Idah, struck the post, but Ronaldo’s act of patting Cullen on the head was him showing that he lives in a different footballing world to the Burnley player.

Fernandes was unlucky not to score when he was played in by Ronaldo on 29 minutes, his effort going wide while Rafael Leao fired over on 40 minutes.

Portugal had a strong claim for a penalty just before half-time when Brady bundled him over in the box.

Ireland did have some periods of possession but opportunities were of the half-chance variety. Szmodics forced a corner from Antonio Silva on 24 minutes, but Smalbone’s set-piece was wasteful, while Idah hit the side netting on 34 minutes after some nice build-up play involving Smallbone and Troy Parrott.

But it was unconvincing from Ireland and even with a much-changed side, with Portugal making five substitutions at half-time, there was no relief for O’Shea’s side.

Four minutes into the second half, the home side had their second goal. Ronaldo used all of his experience and nous to time his run just perfectly, latch onto a long ball out of defence, do the patented two-step move which has taunted defenders for years and fired the ball high past Kelleher.

Ronaldo made it 3-0 on 59 with a goal which the Irish staff can show back to the players as a horror show in terms of its origin and conclusion.

It was a long and hopeful pass out of defence from Dara O’Shea which created the space for Portugal. Idah lost possession when trying to reach O’Shea’s ball, sub Diogo Jota played it in to Ronaldo and he turned it home.

The only response from a clearly tiring Ireland side was an effort by debutant Tom Cannon, similar to the goal scored by fellow sub Parrott a week earlier, when he broke on the counter attack but the effort was wide.

Kelleher kept the score down as Portugal treated their fans to a show, while Ireland saw that, for all the talk about being ”horrible” and “going toe to toe” with big nations, are in a dark place in terms of quality.

PORTUGAL: Costa, Dalot (Semedo 46), Silva, Pepe (Danilo 46), Inacio, Cancelo (Mendes 46); Fernandes, Neves (Nunes 75), Leao (Jota 46); Felix (Neves 46), Ronaldo (cap).

IRELAND: Kelleher; O’Shea, O’Brien, Scales; Coleman (Doherty 70), Cullen, Smallbone (Sykes 82), Brady (O’Dowda 52); Parrott (Johnston 52), Idah (Cannon 52), Szmodics (Knight 70).

REFEREE: C Kavanagh (England).