- Rory Morrow
- Wed, Jun 05 2024
Rory Morrow reports from the Aviva Stadium
Substitute Troy Parrott came on to score a dramatic late winner as the Republic of Ireland earned John O’Shea his first managerial victory against Hungary at the Aviva Stadium.
Leading through Adam Idah’s fine first half header, namesake, Adam Lang levelled for the visitors, punishing Ireland for dozing off at defending a free kick.
Parrott’s late strike, though, edged the friendly in Ireland’s favour as the home crowd went wild inside injury time. Parrott’s late strike earning them a first home win since last June.
Seeking a first win and indeed goal under his management, John O’Shea gave Finn Azaz a full debut from the start in midfield.
Barely two minutes had elapsed before Hungary pieced an attack together. The lively Adam Lang skipped down the right flank with his cross bulleted towards goal by Loic Nego in the middle who sent his effort straight at Caoimhin Kelleher.
Blackburn’s Sammie Szmodic’s intelligently held up play on the edge of the area only for Will Smallbone’s heavy touch to allow Willi Orban to take possession.
The hosts enjoyed a let-off twelve minutes in when Adam Nagy set up another chance for Nego. Unmarked, having eluded Shane Duffy with some clever movement, the number seven spooned his effort off-target.
Up front, Adam Idah almost added an amazing dribble to his portfolio, showing strength to barrage into the box before Lang muscled the Celtic striker off the ball. Idah’s penalty appeals fell on deaf ears.
A more tangible opening came minutes later, midway through the first half, when Andras Schafer’s snapshot bounced wide of Kelleher’s left-hand post.
Szmodics and Idah were tenaciously teaming up to lead Ireland’s press but the men in green struggled to pick the lock in the final third, despite frequently finding themselves in promising attacking areas.
Before the half hour, Schafer robbed Josh Cullen on the halfway line.
Hungary captain, Dominik Szoboszlai hared away down the left, playing the ball into Roland Sallai’s run into the box. His powerful drive was shoveled behind by an alert Kelleher stop.
At the other end, Szmodics almost succeeded in locating Matt Doherty’s forward run only for the pass to be slightly overhit, allowing Hungary goalkeeper, Peter Gulacsi to come and claim.
Ten minutes before the break, Ireland had liftoff.
Will Smallbone instigated the move, giving a swift one-two with debutant Finn Azaz. The former crossed from the right and Idah bulldozed onto the ball to plant a soaring header into the top left corner to score the first Ireland goal of John O’Shea’s managerial tenure.
Schafer was then required to showcase his tacking abilities as he got a crucial toe in to prevent Idah from taking aim again, outside the penalty box.
Euros-bound, Hungary however soon levelled the match.
Szoboszlai wafted a free kick into a packed six-yard zone, Orban’s flicked header on ran through to Langat the back post, who gleefully tucked home as Ireland’s players looked for an offside flag that never came.
As the action seesawed end-to-end, Robbie Brady nearly played Azaz in, but his teasing left-footed cross had just too much on it.
In the final chance of the half, Smallbone was upended by Szoboszlai. Brady’s delivery was met by Idah’s header, which drifted narrowly past the post.
Both teams made double alterations at the break. Jake O’Brien earning his first senior international cap as the Lyon defender got the second forty-five to impress.
Orban headed over early in the second half as Hungary’s rhythm was disrupted by various well-timed interventions from Ireland’s players.
Kelleher next came up trumps to deny Sallai for a second time, the winger’s curling effort set up by a rampaging Szoboszlai. The Irishman saved well to his right before doing excellently to hold a fierce volley from Schafer.
With more substitutions made, Parrott among Ireland’s, respective captains, Coleman and Szoboszlai exchanged pleasantries on the halfway line after a tackle by the former, both earning themselves bookings.
Hungary huffed and puffed but led by Coleman, Ireland showed plenty of resilience with O’Brien and fellow substitute, Liam Scales winning plenty of critical defensive headers.
The hosts then found renewed attacking vigour as Jason Knight, another off the bench, set up an underlapping Coleman whose chipped dink into the middle was stolen away from Michael Obafemi’s head by a super Orton stretch.
On the counter, Sallai shot straight at Kelleher from range after Szoboszlai showed dazzling footwork to dance into the attacking half.
Coleman, ever-influential, volleyed just wide late on before the late twist in the tale came.
Smallbone strode up, winning the ball to create a two-on-one. Parrott took over, bursting through before poking the ball into the back of the net to clinch Ireland a memorable, much-needed win.
With the Aviva Stadium crowd witnessing Ireland’s first home win in a year, emotional celebrations took over as O’Shea embraced his backroom staff to toast the result.
Warmed up by Ireland’s gutsy finish, O’Shea will hope to kick on and register a second victory away in Portugal in a week’s time.
Eddie Lennon's gallery can be viewed here.
Republic of Ireland: Caoimhin Kelleher; Seamus Coleman (c), Shane Duffy (Liam Scales 46), Dara O’Shea, Matt Doherty (Jake O’Brien 46), Josh Cullen (Jason Knight 79), Will Smallbone, Sammie Szmodics, Finn Azaz (Troy Parrott 62), Robbie Brady (Callum O’Dowda 62), Adam Idah (Michael Obafemi 71).
Subs not used: Max O’Leary (gk), David Harrington (gk), Enda Stevens, Mark Sykes, Mikey Johnston, Jamie McGrath, Tom Cannon, Bosun Lawal.
Booked: Seamus Coleman (65), Liam Scales (78), Jason Knight (85).
Hungary: Peter Gulacsi (Denes Dibusz 46); Milos Kerkez (Zsolt Nagy 71), Loic Nego (Endre Botka 46), Willi Orban, Marton Dardai, Adam Lang (Botond Balogh 73), Adam Nagy, Andras Schafer (Callum Styles 71), Barnabas Varga (Laszlo Kleinheisler 62), Roland Sallai, Dominik Szoboszlai (c).
Subs not used: Peter Szappanos (gk), Attila Szalai, Attila Fiola, Martin Adam, Bendeguz Bolla, Daniel Gazdag, Kevin Csoboth, Krisztofer Horfath, Mihaly Kata.
Booked: Dominik Szoboszlai (65), Callum Styles (90).
Referee: Luis Godinho.
Attendance: 29,424.
extratime.com Player of the Match: Will Smallbone (Republic of Ireland).
