Ireland captain refused to shake hands with Israel's Manor Solomon

Dubai: Republic of Ireland captain Dara O’Shea refused to shake hands with Israel captain Manor Solomon before their UEFA Nations League match in Debrecen, Hungary, on Sunday.

O’Shea shook hands with the match officials but kept his hands behind his back when he approached Solomon, before walking away without making eye contact. The Irish players also wore black armbands and lowered their heads during Israel’s national anthem.

The gestures came amid controversy surrounding the fixture, with the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict adding to the scrutiny around the match. Ireland goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu also made himself unavailable for selection, citing his personal beliefs about "the loss of innocent lives."

Solomon, who captained Israel, is a forward for West Ham United. The 27-year-old joined the English club from Tottenham Hotspur during the summer and had scored twice in nine appearances for West Ham before the international break in the EFL Championship.

Despite the controversy surrounding the fixture, Ireland went ahead with the match and produced a dominant first-half display.

Troy Parrott opened the scoring in the 13th minute before Adam Idah doubled Ireland’s advantage three minutes later. Jack Moylan then made it 3-0 in the 25th minute, giving Ireland a commanding lead before half-time.

Israel could not find a response after the break as Ireland completed a 3-0 victory.

The two sides are scheduled to meet again in the Nations League on October 4 in Serbia, with that match set to be played behind closed doors.