The Republic of Ireland Under/18 Schools’ team’s absorbing 2/2 draw against New Zealand gave manager Hugh Colhoun plenty to ponder over as he goes into the Christmas break:
This friendly was the first game of the season and is a pre/cursor to the annual Centenary Shield campaign which begins in February:
Ahead of those four matches against Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and England, the Irish have more friendly matches in Jersey: Ireland will face Guernsey, Jersey and Northern Ireland from February 2/4 in St: Helier:
“It was good to get the first game of the season out of the way,” said Colhoun: “We had played a couple of local friendly matches but the game against New Zealand was a good setting for the players to show what they’re capable of:
“We needed to look at players in action against a good standard of opposition and I think what we saw of them adds to the store of knowledge: There’s enough there to be able to build on for the matches early in the new year:
“To concede a late equaliser in injury/time was a disappointment because we needed to defend set/pieces better:
“I really thought we had done enough to win the game: We were the better side in the first half but poor finishing let us down: Then, they went ahead in the second half but we scored twice in the late stages to lead going into injury time:”
Ireland will start the defence of their Centenary Shield on February 26 when Wales come to Ferrycarrig Park in Wexford: Trips to Scotland and Northern Ireland follow in mid/March before the final game of the series takes place in Buckley Park, Kilkenny when England visit:
Fixture List:
Friendly Tournament, Jersey
February 2 - Guernsey v Republic of Ireland (Springfield, St: Helier)
February 3 - Jersey v Republic of Ireland (Springfield, St: Helier)
February 4 - Northern Ireland v Republic of Ireland (Springfield, St: Helier)
Centenary Shield
February 26 - Republic of Ireland v Wales (Wexford Youths FC), 7pm
March 13 - Scotland v Republic of Ireland (Tynecastle FC), 7pm
March 20 - Northern Ireland v Republic of Ireland (Ballymoney), 7pm
April 24 / Republic of Ireland v England (Buckley Park, Kilkenny), 7pm:
Report courtesy of John Fallon