Source: Team_Talk
Doyle frustrated by red card
Kevin Doyle was disappointed by the red card he received in the Republic of Ireland's 2-1 Euro 2012 qualifying win over Armenia on Tuesday.[LNB] Doyle was sent off for the first time in his professional career after Spanish referee Eduardo Iturralde Gonzalez, who had earlier booked him for a rash challenge, ruled he had elbowed Armenia's Karlen Mkrtchyan.[LNB]Doyle, whose marching orders arrived nine minutes from time, left the pitch bemused, and was still protesting his innocence long after the final whistle.[LNB]He said: "I jump the same every time, I don't ever deliberately go up to hurt anyone when I go up for a header, and I didn't hurt him.[LNB]"If anything, I barely touched him and he made the most of it.[LNB]"It's the first time since I was about 12. There's a first time for everything.[LNB]"It's frustrating, but we are through, we are in the play-offs and we are one of the top seeds."[LNB]Doyle, whose initial booking would have ruled him out of the first leg of the play-offs anyway, will now be a frustrated bystander as Giovanni Trapattoni's men attempt to edge closer to next summer's finals in Poland and the Ukraine.[LNB]With skipper Robbie Keane facing a race against time to shake off the muscle injury which sidelined him last night, Trapattoni could be without both of his first-choice strikers for the opening game.[LNB]However, on the evidence of Tuesday night, he does have genuine options.[LNB]In Keane's absence, Trapattoni chose to start with Simon Cox, who has been unable to command a place in the West Brom starting line-up in recent weeks, rather than club-mate Shane Long, who has enjoyed an impressive start to life in the Premier League.[LNB]As so often in the past, the manager's judgment proved sound with Cox turning in a fine display, while Jonathan Walters also impressed with a cameo from the bench as Long sat out the entire 90 minutes.[LNB]Only time will tell what Trapattoni does next month, but Cox was happy simply to have given him something to think about.[LNB]He said: "All I could do was to play well and give the manager food for thought, and I hope I have done that.[LNB]"The next game is the next game and things can happen between now and then. If he decides it's not me, then I will be grateful to be involved and I will be applauding the players who do play."
