Ireland player ratings: Knight and McClean to the fore

Here is how we rated the Boys in Green in the 3-0 victory over Gibraltar.

Gavin Bazunu 6

Very little can be said about a goalkeeper that played the entire game within a few meters of his own box. Gibraltar caused very little problems for Ireland over the 90 minutes, with the stats showing they only had one shot on target, and the biggest job that Bazunu had was passing the ball out.

Dara O'Shea 5

The defender returned to the starting XI and enjoyed a comfortable evening, solid if not spectacular over the 90 minutes.

John Egan 6

The defender had one of the quietest nights of his career, spending the majority of the game stationed on the half-way line. Egan's primary job, as a result, was passing the ball and initiating Ireland’s attacks. When he was called in to action, the Sheffield United man sprinted back in the second half to stop a Gibraltar counter-attack by blocking the passing lanes.

Nathan Collins 4

The Wolves man started in the back three, but with little defending required, was sacrificed at the interval as Mikey Johnston was introduced as the home side chased the crucial opening goal.

Josh Cullen 5

While Ireland, as expected dominated possession, Cullen struggled to make inroads against the white wall in front of him, and was guilty of a few wayward passes. Grew into the contest.

Evan Ferguson 7

The striker got his first competitive senior international goal, and it was a just reward for an industrious performance by the teenager. He never stopped running, even with two defenders marking him from the first minute. He repeatedly found space, and almost used this to score the opening goal of the game in the first half.

Michael Obafemi 6

It was a frustrating night for the striker, as he had to fall back