REPUPLIC OF IRELAND U/18 SCHOOLS 2 -3 AUSTRALIA U/18 SCHOOLS
Colm Horgan (13) Ryan Meskell OG (26) Stefan Sacilotto (5), Kieran Paull (47) Chernor Bah (60)
The Republic of Ireland U/18 schools' team couldn't keep their interval lead against Australia at the Oscar Traynor Centre on Friday last (January 27, 2012) as they lost their season opener reports John Fallon:
Ollie Horgan's Irish side reacted strongly to going behind to Stefan Sacilotto's tap/in on five minutes: Captain Colm Horgan equalised eight minutes later from close range following good build/up play by Kilkenny native Sean Maguire:
Ireland then went 2/1 up when visiting goalkeeper Ryan Meskell caught Sean Russell's 26th minute cross only to carry the ball over his goal/line:
It was the Socceroos who took control in the second half once captain Kieran Paull brought them level two minutes after the restart with a volley from outside the box:
Substitute Chernor Bah pounced on the hour to smash home the winner for the visitors:
Ireland begin their Centenary Shield campaign against Northern Ireland on March 16 at the home of Pike Rovers FC in Limerick:
Friday's game provided the management with a valuable insight into the players available and some fine/tuning will take place between now and the Northern Ireland game in seven weeks' time:
REP OF IRELAND: Comerford (CBS High School, Clonmel); Hyland (Oatlands College), Sweeney (Colaiste Raithlin, Bray), McMahon (St: Macarthan's College, Monaghan), O'Donnell (Carrigaline CS); Horgan (Colaiste Einde, Salthill), Lenihan (PBC, Cork), Molloy (Colaiste Iognaid, Galway), Russell (Colaiste Phadraig, Lucan); Maguire (CBS Kilkenny), Lehane (Douglas CS):
Subs: Corbet (Clonaslee VS, Laois) for Comerford, Matthews (Clonkeen College) for Sweeney, Healy (CBS Sexton Street) for McMahon, Moffat (Clonkeen College) for Molloy, Brady (Pobalscoil Neasain, Balboyle) for Russell, Doherty (Comeragh College) for Maguire, Sheedy (Colaiste Iosaef, Kilmallock), for Lehane (all h/t), O'Connor (Drimnagh Castle) for Matthews – inj (72 mins):
AUSTRALIA: Meskell; Maricic, Clements, Verdin, Knight, Keir, Paull, Sacilotto, Ilic; Denniss, Reus:
Subs used: Cooper, Witschge, Millar, Zico, Billic, Turnbull:
Referee: Damian Kilpatrick (Dublin)