It was a game of few chances that looked destined for a 0-0 draw but the Boys in Green will feel they are due some good fortune after a couple of near misses previously in the Euro U21 qualification campaign.
Friday’s loss to Italy meant Ireland trailed group leaders Sweden by seven points ahead of this game.
While still mathematically in with a shout regardless, Jim Crawford’s side knew they needed a win to maintain any realistic hope of qualification.
There were two changes to the starting XI from last week’s match for the Irish team.
Ross Tierney and Joshua Kayode came into the side, while Conor Noss and Colm Whelan dropped to the bench.
Sweden, meanwhile, made one change, with Emil Holm coming in for Hussein Ali. As expected, highly-rated Manchester United teenager Anthony Elanga, who Crawford singled out as a threat before the game, started on the left-wing.
It was a scrappy opening 10 minutes with very little of note happening. Ireland sat off the Swedish defenders, allowing them possession, but the visitors seldom made inroads into the final third and offered little threat.
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Sweden finally had their first attempt of any kind in the 18th minute. Rami Al Hajj evaded a couple of defenders amid a mazy run and Brian Maher was alert to palm his shot from the edge of the area out for a corner.
Moments later, Elanga tested Lee O’Connor with his pace out wide and went down under the defender’s challenge in the area, but the referee ignored the Swedish protests for a penalty.
There was a nervy moment for Sweden in the 23rd moment, as Kayode chased down Samuel Brolin and the goalkeeper’s attempted clearance deflected out for a goal kick much to the visitors’ relief.
Five minutes later, a free-kick into the area fell to Will Smallbone, but the midfielder’s attempt went well over.
Shortly thereafter, Tyreik Wright found himself in a promising position out wide, but no one could get on the end of the winger’s cross.
In the 33rd minute, it was Ireland’s turn to claim for a penalty as Ross Tierney, with his back to goal, went down under the challenge of Emil Holm, but again, the official waved play on.
Shortly before half-time, Smallbone’s cross found the onrushing Tierney, but the Bohs youngster could not find the target with a difficult attempt on the half-volley.
The Swedish bench’s anger grew minutes later, as Al Hajj went down with Jake O’Brien in close proximity as a third spot-kick request was denied before a largely dull first half came to an end.
Ireland's Ross Tierney anf Patrik Walemark of Sweden. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Sweden began to threaten more frequently on the counter-attack in the second half, with Amin Sarr firing over from distance on one such occasion.
Ireland found themselves in a similarly promising position 10 minutes into the second half, but Tierney’s cross went straight into the arms of Brolin.
As the game entered its final half-hour, neither team’s attack was really functioning and a scoreless draw looked the most likely outcome.
Ireland brought on Will Ferry for Tierney in an attempt to find an attacking spark, and the Southampton youngster had a half-chance shortly after his introduction but shot well off target from a tricky angle.
With 15 minutes remaining, Wright’s low cross found Kayode, but the striker could not direct his effort on target under pressure from the defender.
It proved to be the Rotherham player’s last act, as he was replaced by 17-year-old Evan Ferguson.
With nine minutes to go, Wright had a great chance to win it. The ball deflected kindly into his path inside the area, but his finish could have been better, as it was central enough to allow Brolin to make the save.
Ireland went close again shortly thereafter. O’Neill found Ferguson with a good pass and the Brighton striker burst through on goal down the left-hand side, but his finish was just wide.
Another substitute, Conor Noss, also tested Brolin amid a frantic finale.
Ireland appeared on the brink of a result that would have all but ended their qualification hopes before O’Neill’s dramatic intervention, that didn’t even leave time for the Swedes to restart the match.
Ireland: 1. Brian Maher 2. Lee O’Connor 13. Jake O’Brien 4. Mark McGuinness 3. Joel Bagan; 6. Conor Coventry 7. Gavin Kilkenny 17. Ross Tierney (Ferry 68) 10. Will Smallbone (Noss 84) 18. Tyreik Wright (O’Neill 84) 9. Joshua Kayode (Ferguson 76)
Subs: 23. David Odumosu 5. Oisin McEntee 8. Conor Noss 11. Will Ferry 14. Oliver O’Neill 15. William Hondermarck 19. Evan Ferguson 20. Dawson Devoy 22. Colm Whelan
Sweden: 1. Samuel Brolin 2. Emil Holm 3. Aiham Ousou 4. Pavle Vagic 5. Daniel Svensson 6. Carl Gustavsson (Edvardsson 85) 7. Patrik Walemark (Nygren 68) 8. Bilal Hussein 9. Amin Sarr (Abraham 68) 10. Rami Al Hajj (Prica 79) 11. Anthony Elanga
Subs: 12. Oliver Dovin 13. Oliver Zanden 14. Jesper Tolinsson 15. Gustaf Lagerbielke 16. Benjamin Nygren 17. David Edvardsson 18. Hussein Ali 19. Tim Prica 20. Paulos Abraham
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Ireland beat Sweden with last kick of the game to keep qualification hopes alive
Ireland U21s 1
Sweden U21s 0
SUBSTITUTE OLLIE O’Neill was the hero as Ireland earned a last-gasp 1-0 win against Sweden with what was literally the last kick of the game.
O’Neill collected a pass from Conor Coventry and drilled a low effort into the net much to the delight of the 1,535 fans at Tallaght.
It was a game of few chances that looked destined for a 0-0 draw but the Boys in Green will feel they are due some good fortune after a couple of near misses previously in the Euro U21 qualification campaign.
Friday’s loss to Italy meant Ireland trailed group leaders Sweden by seven points ahead of this game.
While still mathematically in with a shout regardless, Jim Crawford’s side knew they needed a win to maintain any realistic hope of qualification.
There were two changes to the starting XI from last week’s match for the Irish team.
Ross Tierney and Joshua Kayode came into the side, while Conor Noss and Colm Whelan dropped to the bench.
Sweden, meanwhile, made one change, with Emil Holm coming in for Hussein Ali. As expected, highly-rated Manchester United teenager Anthony Elanga, who Crawford singled out as a threat before the game, started on the left-wing.
It was a scrappy opening 10 minutes with very little of note happening. Ireland sat off the Swedish defenders, allowing them possession, but the visitors seldom made inroads into the final third and offered little threat.
Sweden finally had their first attempt of any kind in the 18th minute. Rami Al Hajj evaded a couple of defenders amid a mazy run and Brian Maher was alert to palm his shot from the edge of the area out for a corner.
Moments later, Elanga tested Lee O’Connor with his pace out wide and went down under the defender’s challenge in the area, but the referee ignored the Swedish protests for a penalty.
There was a nervy moment for Sweden in the 23rd moment, as Kayode chased down Samuel Brolin and the goalkeeper’s attempted clearance deflected out for a goal kick much to the visitors’ relief.
Five minutes later, a free-kick into the area fell to Will Smallbone, but the midfielder’s attempt went well over.
Shortly thereafter, Tyreik Wright found himself in a promising position out wide, but no one could get on the end of the winger’s cross.
In the 33rd minute, it was Ireland’s turn to claim for a penalty as Ross Tierney, with his back to goal, went down under the challenge of Emil Holm, but again, the official waved play on.
Shortly before half-time, Smallbone’s cross found the onrushing Tierney, but the Bohs youngster could not find the target with a difficult attempt on the half-volley.
The Swedish bench’s anger grew minutes later, as Al Hajj went down with Jake O’Brien in close proximity as a third spot-kick request was denied before a largely dull first half came to an end.
Sweden began to threaten more frequently on the counter-attack in the second half, with Amin Sarr firing over from distance on one such occasion.
Ireland found themselves in a similarly promising position 10 minutes into the second half, but Tierney’s cross went straight into the arms of Brolin.
As the game entered its final half-hour, neither team’s attack was really functioning and a scoreless draw looked the most likely outcome.
Ireland brought on Will Ferry for Tierney in an attempt to find an attacking spark, and the Southampton youngster had a half-chance shortly after his introduction but shot well off target from a tricky angle.
With 15 minutes remaining, Wright’s low cross found Kayode, but the striker could not direct his effort on target under pressure from the defender.
It proved to be the Rotherham player’s last act, as he was replaced by 17-year-old Evan Ferguson.
With nine minutes to go, Wright had a great chance to win it. The ball deflected kindly into his path inside the area, but his finish could have been better, as it was central enough to allow Brolin to make the save.
Ireland went close again shortly thereafter. O’Neill found Ferguson with a good pass and the Brighton striker burst through on goal down the left-hand side, but his finish was just wide.
Another substitute, Conor Noss, also tested Brolin amid a frantic finale.
Ireland appeared on the brink of a result that would have all but ended their qualification hopes before O’Neill’s dramatic intervention, that didn’t even leave time for the Swedes to restart the match.
Ireland: 1. Brian Maher 2. Lee O’Connor 13. Jake O’Brien 4. Mark McGuinness 3. Joel Bagan; 6. Conor Coventry 7. Gavin Kilkenny 17. Ross Tierney (Ferry 68) 10. Will Smallbone (Noss 84) 18. Tyreik Wright (O’Neill 84) 9. Joshua Kayode (Ferguson 76)
Subs: 23. David Odumosu 5. Oisin McEntee 8. Conor Noss 11. Will Ferry 14. Oliver O’Neill 15. William Hondermarck 19. Evan Ferguson 20. Dawson Devoy 22. Colm Whelan
Sweden: 1. Samuel Brolin 2. Emil Holm 3. Aiham Ousou 4. Pavle Vagic 5. Daniel Svensson 6. Carl Gustavsson (Edvardsson 85) 7. Patrik Walemark (Nygren 68) 8. Bilal Hussein 9. Amin Sarr (Abraham 68) 10. Rami Al Hajj (Prica 79) 11. Anthony Elanga
Subs: 12. Oliver Dovin 13. Oliver Zanden 14. Jesper Tolinsson 15. Gustaf Lagerbielke 16. Benjamin Nygren 17. David Edvardsson 18. Hussein Ali 19. Tim Prica 20. Paulos Abraham
Referee: Peter Kralovic (Slovakia)
Attendance: 1,535
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Anthony Elanga jim crawford Report Tallaght Stadium Ireland Republic Sweden