Ireland 2-1 Hungary
Hello, and welcome to tonight’s liveblog.
It may be just an end-of-season friendly, but it’s an important one from interim boss John O’Shea’s perspective, as reflected by the strong starting XI he has selected.
It won’t be easy, however, as they face a Hungary team who are 14 games unbeaten, beat England 4-0 in the Nations League and are preparing to compete in the Euros.
Ireland, by contrast, have won just two of their last 11 fixtures, and so will be underdogs going into tonight’s match.
Kick-off is at 7.45pm.
Confirmation of the Ireland starting XI…
STARTING XI | Ireland v Hungary 🇮🇪
— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) June 4, 2024
Finn Azaz makes his first start in an Ireland shirt as Sammie Szmodics and Adam Idah start 👌
Troy Parrott makes the bench following his late arrival from club action, with kick-off at 7.45pm 👏 pic.twitter.com/P3kQvKTbZK
🗣️ “We need to get winning matches & hopefully the team I’ve selected will cause Hungary problems”
— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) June 4, 2024
Interim Head Coach John O’Shea gives his thoughts ahead of tonight’s clash with Hungary 🇮🇪🇭🇺 pic.twitter.com/QauL3QzuCA
We’re underway…
2 mins: Early chance as Hungary are afforded far too much space down Ireland’s left.
Dardai crosses for Nego, whose tame volley is easily gathered by Kelleher.
It seems to be more or less the same 3-4-3 formation Ireland played in the last two games under John O’Shea.
Finn Azaz is in the wide role Chiedozie Ogbene and Mikey Johnston previously occupied.
10 mins: It’s been a pretty uneventful start.
Aside from that early Hungary chance, neither side has really threatened.
12 mins: Another Hungary wasted chance.
Varga beats O’Shea for pace just inside the area and lays it to Nego, who curls an effort narrowly wide.
17 mins: Still not too much of note is happening.
Hungary look far more comfortable on the ball — dominating possessing and controlling the game at the moment.
18 mins: Idah makes a purposeful run, getting past Kerkez before going down under a challenge from Lang on the edge of the area.
The referee tells the Norwich player to get up and waves play on.
24 mins: Schafer has just shot into the side-netting for Hungary’s latest attempt on goal.
Ireland have looked relatively solid defensively so far, but have offered almost nothing in attack.
29 mins: Another chance for Hungary after Ireland lose the ball in midfield.
Szboszlai lays it to Kerkez, whose low shots is parried away by Kelleher for a corner to the visitors.
30 mins: Szmodics counters and goes down under a challenge but the referee waves play on.
The Blackburn star might have been quicker in releasing the ball there as he had options to his left and right. Ireland need to show more composure in those types of moments.
IRELAND 1-0 HUNGARY (IDAH 36)
36 mins: The game had become very open of late and Ireland are the beneficiaries.
Smallbone finds himself wide right and delivers a pinpoint cross for Idah, whose powerful header leaves the goalkeeper with no chance.
IRELAND 1-1 HUNGARY (LANG 40)
40 mins: Hungary produce a swift response.
A free kick is lofted in, Orban heads it on and Lang is in the right place to volley into the roof of the net.
44 mins: Szoboszlai attempts to lob Kelleher from way out but his attempt is well off target.
It’s been a strange first half — the game hasn’t acquired much of a rhythm.
As I type, an Idah header from a Brady free kick goes a few inches wide.
HALF-TIME: IRELAND 1-1 HUNGARY
Here’s a look at the two goals…
🇮🇪 1-0 🇭🇺
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) June 4, 2024
GOAL - Against the run of play, Ireland take the lead through Adam Idah after a pinpoint cross from Will Smallbone
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🇮🇪 1-1 🇭🇺
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) June 4, 2024
GOAL - Ireland's lead lasts just five minutes as Hungary claim a scrappy equaliser through Adam Lang
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So a first half of fits and starts that has invariably felt like an end-of-season friendly.
Ireland took their goal superbly, with Will Smallbone deserving particular credit for an excellent cross, but the opener came against the run of play.
So Hungary deserved their equaliser when it came just before half-time, but Ireland will rue the sloppy manner it was conceded, as an unmarked Lang converted all too easily with the aid of a deflected delivery flicked on by Orban.
It’s hard to know how much to read into this game given the low stakes involved, but it’s clear Ireland remain a work in progress, with plenty of challenges ahead for the incoming manager to address.
Ireland are making changes at the break.
Liam Scales and Jake O’Brien are on for Matt Doherty and Shane Duffy.
Hungary also make some substitutions
Nego and Gulascsi are replaced by Botka and Dibusz.
The second half is underway…
53 mins: Hungary have had the better start to the second half.
They’ve had a couple of corners, with Orban heading over the bar most recently.
56 mins: Sallai tests Kelleher with a low shot from the edge of the area but the Liverpool goalkeeper parries it out for a corner.
From the ensuing set piece, the goalkeeper gets down well to keep out Schafer’s pot shot before Szmodics overhits a cross intended for Idah on the counter-attack.
61 mins: More changes from both teams.
For Hungary, Kleinheisler comes on for Varga.
For Ireland, Azaz and Brady are replaced by Parrott and O’Dowda
68 mins: All the substitutions have disrupted the game with both sides struggling to establish a rhythm.
The recently introduced Parrott has been in superb form in Netherlands with two hat-tricks in quick succession at club level so he’ll surely fancy himself to score another one tonight.
71: More changes now.
For Hungary, Kerkez and Schafer are replaced by Styles and Nagy.
For the hosts, Obafemi is on for goalscorer Idah.
73 mins: Another Hungary change sees goalscorer Lang replaced by Balogh.
Meanwhile, Smallbone has fallen awkwardly but looks like he’ll be okay to continue.
75 mins: A dangerous free kick is delivered into the Irish penalty but Scales gets a toe to it and puts it out for a corner.
The same man heads away Szoboszlai’s corner moments later.
The official attendance has been announced as 29,424.
O’Dowda plays a superb through ball for Szmodics, who overhits his cross.
Moments later, a ball in from Coleman is deflected out for a corner.
From the ensuing set piece, Hungary then break on the counter, but Sallai’s low shot is comfortably saved by Kelleher.
88 mins: It feels like this game is petering out and it has not been helped by the raft of substitutions.
Will Smallbone has just been announced as the official player of the match.
90 mins: A hopeful Smallbone cross is headed by the defender to Coleman, whose left-footed volley from the edge of the area goes narrowly wide.
There will be three minutes of stoppage time.
IRELAND 2-1 HUNGARY (PARROTT 90)
90 mins: Hungary have everyone up for a set piece and lose possession on the halfway line allowing Parrott to run through on goal.
The goalkeeper can only help his low finish into the back of the net.
What a run of form Parrott is having.
FULL-TIME: IRELAND 2-1 HUNGARY
Here’s a look at the winning goal.
🇮🇪 2-1 🇭🇺
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) June 4, 2024
GOAL - Troy Parrott surely snatches victory for Ireland, with a late counter-attacking goal.
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