Saturday, January 19, 2019
Irish scholars score hat-trick against Aussies
UNDER 18 BOYS’ INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY
Republic of Ireland 3-0 Australia
(Brandon Bermingham 20 pen, 38 pen, Jake Ellis 60)
Two first half penalties coolly converted by St. Mary’s DS student Brandon Bermingham set the Republic of Ireland Schools on their way to a convincing 3-0 win over the Australia Schools at Home Farm FC this afternoon.
Oatlands College grad Jake Ellis added a third with a cracking finish on the hour mark to give William O’Connor’s side their first victory over Australia since 2010 and only the second time they have come out on top in eight recent meetings.
The Irish looked impressive from the start and Dónal Higgins (Yeats College) hit the Australian cross bar in an opening attack and later Daragh Ellison set up Captain Niall O’Keeffe with a brilliant cross from the left only for the Waterford man shot over.
Bermingham might have given the Irish an earlier lead after Carndonagh CS star Corey McBride put him through on goal but the striker pulled his effort just wide of the far post.
Minutes later Bermingham did open the Irish account when he was taken down in the box by Richard Stewart and he got up to beat goalkeeper Levi Kaye with his spot kick.
Australia went close to equalising a couple of times when first Harry McCarthy at the far post just failed to get a touch on to a Rory Jordan free from the left.
While later McCarthy headed over when he connected with Jake Hollman’s pin point cross.
But after surviving these scares the Irish went further ahead and again it was from the penalty spot.
Dónal Higgins (Yeats College) was taken down by Louis Kabala and Bermingham was on target to grab his second of the day.
O’Connor made several changes for the second half and one of the newcomers Jake Ellis stretched the lead on the hour mark with a cracking right footed shot from just inside the Australia area after good work by local lad Ross Tierney (St. Aidan’s CBS, Whitehall) created the chance.
With both manager’s ringing the changes the game got a bit fragmented but the Irish looked comfortable and saw out the remainder of the game to gain a deserved win.
This sets the Irish squad up nicely ahead of their Centenary Shield fixtures which begin at the end of March with a trip to Glasgow for their opening fixture against Scotland.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND | David Odumosu (O’Fiaich College, Dundalk), Seán McEvoy (Virginia College Cavan), Keith Carter (Colaiste Choilm Swords), Josh Honohan (St. Francis College, Rochestown), Daragh Ellison (St. Eunan’s College, Letterkenny), Corey McBride (Carndonagh Community School), Niall O’Keeffe (Captain) (De La Salle College, Waterford), Matthew O’Reilly (Midleton CBS, Cork), Colin Kelly (St. Joseph’s College, Galway), Dónal Higgins (Yeats College, Galway), Brandon Bermingham (St. Mary’s Diocesan School, Drogheda).
SUBS ALL USED (HT)| Gearoid Mulligan (Summerhill College, Sligo), Jack Doherty (Carndonagh Community School), Adam Lynch (Summerhill College), Ross Tierney (St. Aidan’s CBS, Whitehall), Jamie Cleary (Drimnagh Castle CBS), James Clarke (Boyne Community School, Trim), Jake Ellis (Oaklands College, Dublin).
MANAGEMENT | William O’CONNOR, Head Coach (Balbriggan Community College), John McSHANE, Assistant Coach (Dublin Oak Academy, Bray), Ollie HORGAN, Performance Analyst (St. Eunan’s College, Letterkenny), Conor FOLEY, GK Coach (Athlone Community College), Michael McGLYNN (Physio), Dr. Aidan O’COLMAIN (Team Doctor), Derek O’BRIEN, Equipment Manager (Ardscoil na Mara, Tramore)
AUSTRALIA | Levi Kaye, Michael Harth, Dean Pelekanos, Anthony Sparacino, Richard Stewart, Maximillien Balard, Calem Niewenhof; Rory Jordan, Jake Hollman, Louis Zabala; Harry McCarthy.
SUBS ALL USED | Lachlan Scheffers, Sam Webb, Jarrod Carluccio, Pratik Napit, Bailey Rule, Matthew Nikolovski (Blake Richards, injured)
MANAGEMENT | Pat MARANDO, Coach (Liverpool Boys HS), Chris MINOL, Assistant Coach (Wyndham College) Ashley MATHIESON, Manager (NBSC Freshwater Campus), Jamil QUTAMI, Physio
MATCH OFFICIAL | Derek Campion (Wexford)
Centenary Shield Fixtures
March 28 Scotland vs Republic of Ireland in Somerset Park, Ayr United FC
April 12 Republic of Ireland vs England in Dublin
April 18 Northern Ireland vs Republic of Ireland in Bangor Fuels Arena, Bangor FC
April 25 Republic of Ireland vs Wales in Dublin
