Ireland united in animosity and mediocrity as Republic and the North stumble their way to scrappy draw

• Republic of Ireland 0 Northern Ireland 0

For all their differences and political divisions, there is one thing that unites Ireland - two poor football teams stumbling their way through to the end of a terrible year without much hope the next one will be any better.

This was a shocking game of football, lacking even the fundamental qualities needed to generate excitement. The only thing that raised the pulse level was the mutual booing of the national anthems, a brief spark of animosity before kick-off that was extinguished by a shared sense of apathy once the game started.

These are worrying time for the O’Neills. Martin is struggling to galvanise the Republic, a miserable Nations League campaign cranking up the pressure that has surrounded him since losing a World Cup play-off to Denmark a year ago. Start qualification for the Euros badly next year and he and Roy Keane are unlikely to still be in charge of the team at the end of it.

READ MORE: No fairytale Rooney goal, but England still blow away the USA

READ MORE: Croatia stun Spain to blow Nations League group wide open

Things are little better for the North’s Michael, although they were probably the superior side here and certainly created more chances in open play. Given they have lost all of their Nations League games, there has been very little to cheer in 2018. It is a year that will not be remembered fondly by any Irish football supporter.

It says a lot about the issues currently dominating the political landscape in Ireland and the United Kingdom - like a 24-storey concrete apartment block in the middle of a lush green field – that this was jokingly referred to as the Brexit Backstop derby.

If that was tongue in cheek, the booing of God Save The Queen by home supporters was not, while those who had travelled down from the North's attempts to do the same were drowned out during the Republic’s version.

The away fans were in the mood to antagonise, with chants of “Ulster till I Die” followed by “You’re just a small part of Europe” and then “James McClean, he’s one of our own.”

The latter was predictable. The man from Derry, who switched allegiance to Eire shortly after making his Premier League debut for Sunderland, has never tried to hide his Republicanism and was booed whenever he went near the ball, let alone touched it.

Cheered at first by the Republic fans, that show of support disappeared as the Stoke winger endured a horrendous first half, summed up when the ball dropped invitingly to him on the edge of the area and his attempted volley was shinned into the stands.

If the booing of the anthems cranked up tension levels – Robbie Brady was left in a heap by a crunching tackle by Steven Saville in the opening seconds – things went flat as the football took over.

Northern Ireland were the better team and should have taken the lead when Gavin Whyte was left with Darren Randolph to beat, only for the goalkeeper to make a good save with his feet.

The visitors also had a number of half chances, the impressive Dallas going close twice before Hearts full-back Michael Smith sent a rasping effort just over the bar.

The Republic were poor, so turgid it was difficult to see what sort game-plan they had. Their only threat coming – as seems to be the norm now – from set-pieces. Shane Duffy should have scored when he was left with a free header eight yards out, but the Brighton centre-back failed to make proper contact with his head while the otherwise anonymous Jeff Hendrick put another header straight into the arms of goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell.

This was not the way Glenn Whelan would have wanted his final game for Ireland to unfold, the only reason for their supporters to cheer and applaud coming when he was replaced after 36 minutes.

Not that this is how anyone wants a game of football to be played, it was a dreadful spectacle. Even when the North were gifted a chance by the hapless Darragh Lenihan, they could not take it, Randolph again saving with his legs to deny substitute Jordan Jones.

Match details

Republic of Ireland (3-5-2):Randolph 8 (Middlesbrough); Egan 6 (Sheff United), Duffy 6 (Brighton), Lenihan 3 (Blackburn) (Christie Fulham 84); Coleman 5 (Everton), Brady 6 (Burnley) Whelan 5 (Aston Villa) (Hourihane Aston Villa 36mins) Hendrick (Burnley) 5; McClean (Stoke) 4 (Stevens Sheff Utd 66); O’Dowda  4 (Bristol City) (Curtis Portsmouth h-t), Robinson (Preston) 7 (Maguire Preston 66) (Hogan Aston Villa 79)
Subs not used: Doyle (Hearts), Kelleher (Liverpool), Williams (Millwall), Obafemi (Southampton), Long (Burnley), Arter (Cardiff City).
Booked: Lenihane, Hourihane

Northern Ireland (4-1-3-2): Peacock-Farrell (Leeds United) 6; Smith (Hearts) 7 Evans (Leicester) 7 Cathcart (Watford) 7 Lewis (Norwich) 7; Evans (Blackburn) 6 (McNair Middlesbrough 65); Dallas (Leeds) 7 Davis (Southampton) 6 Saville (Middlesbrough) 6; Whyte (Oxford) 5, Boyce (Burton Albion) 6 (Lafferty Rangers 71),
Subs: McGovern (Norwich), Hazard (Celtic), McLaughlin (Millwall), McAuley (Rangers), McGinn (Aberdeen), Ferguson (Milwall), Jones (Kilmarnock), Hughes (Hearts), Ward (Charlton), Magennis (Bolton)
Booked: Saville

Attendance: 31,241