- Dave Donnelly
- Tue, Mar 27 2018
Dave Donnelly reporting from Tallaght Stadium
The Republic of Ireland's hopes of reaching the under-21 European Championships remain on track after Shaun Donnellan snatched a dramatic late victory over Azerbaijan in Tallaght.
The Yeovil Town defender netted with the last kick of the game in the sixth minute of injury time when it looked for all intents and purposes as if it was two vital points dropped for the young Boys in Green.
There were scenes of euphoria at the final whistle, with manager Noel King to the fore, as Ireland finally broke down the resistence of a resolute Azeri outfit.
King had welcomed back Declan Rice and Kieran O'Hara in advance of the game following their exploits in Turkey with Martin O'Neill's senior international side.
Both players slotted back into the starting line-up, as did Rice's West Ham colleague Josh Cullen after he missed the Iceland friendly due to commitments with his loan club Portsmouth.
Rice put in an impressive shift at the back and in midfield on his senior international debut, but his defensive skills were rarely required against an Azeri side who sat in and invited Ireland on.
The visitors did boast several full internationals, while striker Ramil Sheydaev and winger Mahir Madatov played extensively for Qarabag in this year's Champions League group stages (as did coach Rashad F Sadygov).
Sheydaev cut a frustrated and isolated figure up front and frequently found himself dropping deep into his own half in search of work.
And there was plenty of that, though it took several minutes before Ireland threatened goal as efforts from range by Reece Grego-Cox and Ronan Curtis failed to hit the targt.
Ryan Manning was dispossessed in midfield and that led to the first Azerbaijan chance, but Sheydaev shot wide, before a Gismat Aliyev free kick was tipped over by O'Hara.
And Sheydaev had a golden opportunity to score against the run of play when picked out by Madatov, but with a clear sight of goal his first touch let him down.
Ireland finished the half strongly as Manning forced the first save of the night from Kamran Ibrahimov, and Grego-Cox couldn't force home the rebound from a tight angle.
The home side's dominance intensified after the break but opportunities remained elusive, and when one did arrive Jake Mulraney seemed to have his leg clipped but no penalty was forthcoming.
Manning stung the keeper's palms from a free kick after Mulraney's replacement, Olamide Shodipo, was cut down outside the box.
And Shaun Donnellan's header was cleared off the line by Sertan Tashgin as Ireland dialled up the pressure on the hour.
Donnellan saw another goalbound effort brilliantly hooked clear by Ehtiram Shahverdiyev before Rice came ever so close with a curling shot that rippled the top of the net.
The feeling that it wasn't to be Ireland's day was only strengthened when substitute Omar Buludov came within a whisker of stealing a win for the visitors as his shot rattled the top of the crossbar.
Donnellan saw another shot blocked in injury time and it seemed as if the win was beyond the Boys in Green, but the former West Brom trainee popped up five minutes later to score into an empty net.
Republic of Ireland: Kieran O'Hara; Corey Whelan, Shaun Donnellan, Ryan Sweeney, Danny Kane (Ronan Hale 820; Declan Rice, Josh Cullen, Ryan Manning; Jake Mulraney (Olamide Shodipo 56), Ronan Curtis (Joe Quigley 89), Reece Grego-Cox.
Subs not used: Liam Bossin (gk), Liam Kinsella, Ryan Delaney, Connor Dimaio.
Booked: Ryan Manning (73).
Azerbaijan: Kamran Ibrahimov; Sertan Tashgin, Bahlul Mustafazade, Elvin Sarkarov, Anton Krivotsyk; Hajiaga Hajiyev, Budag Nasirov (Ilkin Muradov 65), Gismat Aliyev, Ozan Can Koekcue (Ehtiram Shahverdiyev 58), Mahir Madatov; Ramil Sheydaev (Omar Buludov 86).
Subs not used: Abdulla Seyidakhmedov (gk), Rovlan Muradov, Zija Azizov, Rafael Maharramli.
Booked: Hajiaga Hajiyev (21), Gismat Aliyev (75), Kamran Ibrahimov (85).
Referee: Filip Glova (Slovakia).
Attendance: 1,645.
Extratime.ie Player of the Match: Ryan Manning (Republic of Ireland)
