Rep of Ireland U19 1 - 2 Czech Republic U19

• Niall Mooney
• Sun, Jul 24 2011


The Republic of Ireland U-19s were unlucky to be beaten 2-1 in their UEFA U-19 European Championship Group A game by the Czech Republic setting up an exciting finale to the group. With Greece defeating the hosts Romania, qualification is still wide open.

Paul Doolin's side know that progression to the semi-finals is still in their control. If they match or better Greece's result in the final game, they will advance, once that is not a loss by more than two goals to the Romanians. If points are equal, goal difference will decide.

Ireland started impressively at the Football Centre, Mogosoaio with wingers Sean Murray and Anthony Forde receiving long diagonal balls and running at the Czech defence. The first effort on goal came after some good tracking from Samir Carruthers resulted in a Czech corner. Jiri Skalak’s inswinging corner was headed just wide by Pavel Kaderabek. Ladislav Krejci was brilliantly denied just moments later as Irish keeper Aaron McCarey saved acrobatically down low to his left.

The deadlock was broken just after the ten minute mark as Blackburn Rovers attacking midfielder John O’Sullivan deflected a long range Derrick Williams effort into the net via the right hand upright. A deserved lead for the Irish youngsters.

Striker Conor Smith nearly doubled Ireland’s advantage as he directed a Forde cross towards the bottom left corner. Czech keeper Tomas Koubek was alert to turn the effort around the post. With 25 minutes played, the Irish were well on top at this stage.

The impressive Carruthers was next to try his luck as Murray pulled back a short free kick to the edge of the box. This time his strike was high and wide. After being taken down on the edge of the Czech box, Murray dusted himself off to curl a the free kick just past the far post.

With half time approaching both sides tested opposing keepers with long range efforts, none of which troubled the respective keepers and Ireland took a deserved lead into the break.

The Czech side returned to the field five minutes before the Irish side, presumably after feeling the wrath of their manager. Jiri Skalak was replaced by Patrik Lacha at the interval.

Both sides again traded long range shots as the Czech’s upped the tempo from their lacklustre first half performance with Forde again impressing down the left for Ireland.

Kane Ferdinand came on to replace the hard working and effective goalscorer John O’Sullivan. Ferdinand, cousin of Rio and Anton Ferdinand wasn’t long in showing he is more like the latter of his relations, going into the referee's book for a late challenge.

With just over 20 minutes left on the clock, Derrick Williams was booked for a cynical foul on the left hand touch line. From the resulting free kick, Lacha swung in a deep cross to the back post where Czech skipper Jakub Brabec was given too much room by defender Anthony O’Connor. Brabec made no mistake, powering his header past McCarey.

Moments later Patrik Lacha received the ball just inside the Irish half, progressed 20 yards and hit an unstoppable strike which dipped and swerved past McCarey in the Irish goal. McCarey could hardly believe he had conceded twice in three minutes, having very little to do throughout the game.

Both managers made a flurry of substitutions which seemed to slow the game down. The introduction of Martin Kraus coincided with the Czech’s dominating the midfield battle.

The Irish pushed for an equaliser, with the ever willing Wolves man Anthony Forde looking like the man to salvage a point for the Irish. The Czech’s dropped deeper and deeper into stoppage time but held on for an unlikely win, all but sealing their passage to the semi-finals.

Rep. of Ireland: Aaron McCarey, Matthew Doherty, John Egan (Captain), Anthony O’Connor, Derrick Williams, Samir Carruthers, Sean Murray (Kevin Knight 76), Jeff Hendrick, Anthony Forde, John O’Sullivan (Kane McGovern 57), Conor Smith (Conor Murphy 63).

Czech Republic: Tomas Koubek, Jakub Brabec (Captain), Adam Janos (Roman Polom 76), Tomas Kalas, Pavel Kaderabek, Martin Sladky (Martin Kraus 55), Jiri Skalak (Patrick Lacha h/t), Tomas Jelecek, Ladislav Krejci, Tomas Prikryl, Martin Hala.