IRELAND CONTINUED THEIR challenge for a place at the 2017 Uefa U21 Championship with a 2-0 victory over Andorra today.
First half goals from captain Tommie Hoban and Josh Cullen were enough to hand Noel King’s team the three points at the Estadi Comunal.
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The Boys in Green came into the game on the back of a 4-1 friendly win over Qatar’s U23s at Bury’s Gigg Lane on Friday.
There were four changes to the team that started that day with Lenihans, Brian and Darragh, Glen Rea and Reece Grego-Cox all getting the nod.
QPR striker Grego-Cox and West Ham’s Cullen were both making their competitive debuts at this level. And it was a set-piece from the Hammers midfielder which led to the opening goal on 13 minutes as skipper Hoban met his corner to head home.
The visitors didn’t have to wait long for a second and the lively Sean Kavanagh then set up Cullen to finish confidently eight minutes later.
Grego-Cox and Callum O’Dowda both had chances in the second half, while referee Irfan Peljto booked Jack Connors after it looked as though he had been fouled in the box on 75 minutes.
The win puts Ireland joint-top of Group 2 with Slovakia on six points ahead of games with Lithuania (9 October) and Italy (13 October) next month.
IRELAND: Rogers, B Lenihan, Connors, Hoban (c), O’Dowda (Connolly 85′), Browne, Kavanagh, Cullen, D Lenihan, Rea (Long 87′), Grego-Cox (Maguire 84′).
Goal and assist for West Ham's Josh Cullen on his competitive debut for Ireland U21s
IRELAND CONTINUED THEIR challenge for a place at the 2017 Uefa U21 Championship with a 2-0 victory over Andorra today.
First half goals from captain Tommie Hoban and Josh Cullen were enough to hand Noel King’s team the three points at the Estadi Comunal.
The Boys in Green came into the game on the back of a 4-1 friendly win over Qatar’s U23s at Bury’s Gigg Lane on Friday.
There were four changes to the team that started that day with Lenihans, Brian and Darragh, Glen Rea and Reece Grego-Cox all getting the nod.
QPR striker Grego-Cox and West Ham’s Cullen were both making their competitive debuts at this level. And it was a set-piece from the Hammers midfielder which led to the opening goal on 13 minutes as skipper Hoban met his corner to head home.
The visitors didn’t have to wait long for a second and the lively Sean Kavanagh then set up Cullen to finish confidently eight minutes later.
Grego-Cox and Callum O’Dowda both had chances in the second half, while referee Irfan Peljto booked Jack Connors after it looked as though he had been fouled in the box on 75 minutes.
The win puts Ireland joint-top of Group 2 with Slovakia on six points ahead of games with Lithuania (9 October) and Italy (13 October) next month.
IRELAND: Rogers, B Lenihan, Connors, Hoban (c), O’Dowda (Connolly 85′), Browne, Kavanagh, Cullen, D Lenihan, Rea (Long 87′), Grego-Cox (Maguire 84′).
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COYBIG josh cullen Andorra Ireland Republic Tommie Hoban U21 European Championships