Kiwi’s late surge deny Irish Victory
Republic of Ireland….2 New Zealand…………..2
The Republic of Ireland Under-18 Schools team played out an exciting draw against New Zealand on Friday in their opening game of the season at the Oscar Traynor Centre in Dublin.
Hugh Colhoun’s Irish side were unlucky not to be ahead at the break but they conceded against the run of play just past the hour mark before staging a late comeback and then getting pegged back in injury-time.
The friendly game was the first of a hectic schedule of the Republic of Ireland Schools team, who will defend their Centenary Shield title early in the new year, and Colhoun will have seen plenty from his side against the Kiwis to be optimistic about.
The lively Shane Howard produced Ireland’s first chance on ten minutes after he raced past two defenders and curled a left-footed shot just over the bar from 20 yards.
New Zealand were restricted to long-range efforts in the first half and Ireland goalkeeper David Quirke had to be alert to turn Ethan Cain’s effort from outside of the box around the post four minutes later.
Cillian Morrison, one of two representatives from Ulster in the Irish squad, fashioned Ireland’s nearest opening to breaking the deadlock with 32 minutes gone when he dribbled around a couple of defenders on the edge of the penalty box and clipped the ball beyond the advancing Max Tommy in the New Zealand goal.
Unluckily for the striker, his good work was undone as Jordan Swaney scampered back to clear the goal-bound shot off the line.
Ireland failed to build on the encouraging opening 45 minutes and were punished midway through the second half.
New Zealand striker Sam Margetts broke free on the right side and rounded goalkeeper Quirke. Ireland defender Jason Dwane tracked the run of Margetts but could only divert the ball into his own net.
The opener gave the tourists a level of confidence they lacked earlier in the match and they might have extended their lead as Daniel Finlay drilled wide.
Ireland got forward in numbers following that scare and were presented with an opportunity of equalising on 80 minutes when substitute Shane Murray (pictured below) was tripped inside the area by Jordan Swaney following a probing through-ball from captain Jason Hughes.
Murray, of Arklow Community College, confidently converted the penalty into the bottom left corner to set up a grand finale.
Ireland seized the momentum by taking the lead for the first time in the match with three minutes remaining. Eoin Hanrahan cut the ball back from the end-line and there to steer the ball home from close-range was another substitute, Jimmy Keohane.
An eventful game had more thrills in store when New Zealand defender Anthony Hobbs was left unmarked inside the penalty area to head past substitute goalkeeper Ryan O’Flaherty in the final passage of play.
The Republic of Ireland have a busy schedule ahead of them in the new year. They open the defence of their Centenary trophy against Wales on Thursday, February 26 in Wexford (7pm), before travelling to take on Northern Ireland and Scotland in March before completing their programme against England at Buckley Park, Kilkenny in April.
Republic of Ireland: David Quirke (St. Patrick’s Navan); Jason Dwane (St. Peter’s, Dunboyne), Garvan Broughall (Athlone Community College), Neil Harney (St. Aloysius College), Eoghan Osbourne (Colaiste Ris, Dundalk); Gary Burke (Larkin Community College), Danny Fallon (Sancta Maria College, Louisburgh), Jason Hughes (CBS Sexton St, Limerick), Brian Gaffney (St. Joseph’s, Galway); Cillian Morrison (St. Eunans, Letterkenny), Shane Howard (Colaiste Eoin, Carlow).
Substitutions: Carl Forsyth (Cabinteely CS) for Burke (46 mins), Shane Murray (Arklow CC) for Howard and Eoin Hanrahan (CBS Sexton Street, Limerick) for Gaffney (both 67 mins), Ryan O’Flaherty (St. Kevin’s CBS) for Quirke (76 mins), Jimmy Keohane (CBS Kilkenny) for Dwane (81 mins), Jonathan Bonner (Scoil Mhuire, Buncrana) for Morrison (84 mins).
New Zealand: Max Tommy; Caleb Duncan, Anthony Hobbs, Chris Fernando, Jordan Swaney; Ryan Cain, Joseph Dawkin, Lewis Williams-Gray, Ethan Cain; Rio Dhat, Sam Margetts.
Report Courtesy of John Fallon.