Republic of Ireland Select 2-1 New Zealand
THE REPUBLIC of Ireland Select team completed their season on Monday by recording a narrow 2-1 victory over a touring New Zealand side at the Oscar Traynor Centre (April 29):
A new look Irish line-up which featured only four players involved in Friday’s Centenary Shield draw against England started well and deservedly led at the break:
A high freekick from the distance on the half hour by Colm Poole caught out Kiwis’ goalkeeper Damien Hirst who could only palm the ball into his net:
Hirst redeemed himself five minutes later by saving Colm Crowe’s penalty after Kevin O’Connor was fouled inside the box:
It took only five minutes of the second half for the visitors to draw level when powerful centre/back Stewart Mackay wriggled free in the box to steer his effort home:
Galvanised by their substitutes, though, Ireland finished strongly and grabbed the winner 10 minutes from the end:
O’Connor was once again bundled over for another penalty and substitute Alan Gannon drilled the spot/kick firmly to the right of reserve goalkeeper Cameron Hogg into the bottom corner:
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND SELECT: Stephen McGuinness (Colaiste Chroabh Abhann), Cormac Breslin (Arkloe CBS), Kevin O’Connor (St Peter’s Wexford), Kilian Cantwell (St Kieran’s, Kilkenny), Paul Gannon (St Joseph’s CBS, Fairview); Peter Hopkins (Larkin College), Colm Crowe (Malahide CS), Jamie Goonery (Palmerstown CS), Colm Poole (Clonaslee, Laois); Dylan Cashin (Malahide CS), N Arevadze (St Killians, Clonskeagh:
Subs used (all h/t): Alan Gannon ( St Joseph’s CBS, Fairview), Conor Moore (Palmerstown CS), Dean Hurley (Tallaght CS), Clayton Stafford (Collinstown Park CS), Andrew Murphy (Colaiste Chill Mhantain), Liam Traynor (St Colmcille’s Knocklyon), Adam Zayed (St Benildus, Stillorgan):
NEW ZEALAND: D Hirst; J Gibbs, H Cadigan, C Sinclair, S Mackay; D Ridgley, D Bowkett, S Brotherton, J Baker; B Thomas, X Pratt:
REFEREE: Damien Kilpatrick (Dublin):