Ireland end campaign with draw against England

Republic of Ireland 2/2 England

Jack Doherty (28, pen), Alex Byrne (80)     Luke Donaldson (31), Rhys Turner (72)

THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND SCHOOLS squad secured a runners up spot above England in the U18 Centenary Shield standings after they battled back from the brink against the auld enemy to claim a draw in an absorbing contest at Turner’s Cross Stadium on Friday night last (April 26)

After surviving a ninth/minute scare when Shaquille Hippolyte/Patrick’s drive crashed off the underside of the crossbar, Ireland went ahead on 28 minutes:

Gani Nuredini looked to have won the ball off Kynan Rocks in the box but a penalty was awarded, allowing Jack Doherty to score from the spot:

A lapse in concentration caused that lead to be wiped out three minutes later, as Luke Donaldson was left alone 10 yards out to head home a floated cross by Nuredini:

Only a superb one/handed save by St: Eunan’s stopper Shaun Patton, making his international debut, from Hippolyte/Patrick’s angled shot kept Ireland on terms at the break:

England continued to pressurise in the second half and eventually unhinged their hosts on 72 minutes:

Hippolyte/Patrick was once again the architect from a breakaway, releasing Rhys Turner through the middle to finish from close/range:

That wasn’t to be the end of this cracking, concluding tie in the campaign, however:

Wexford native Kevin O’Connor was denied by England goalkeeper Tom Gowans from close/range but, from the resulting corner, defender Alex Byrne found the space to squeeze his header inside the far post ten minutes from time:

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Shaun Patton (St Eunan’s College, Letterkenny); Kilian Cantwell (St Kieran’s College, Kilkenny), Alex Byrne (Yeats College, Galway), Patrick Fitzgerald (Capt) (De La Salle College, Waterford), Sean Coyne (Terenure College); Kevin O’Connor (St Peter’s College, Wexford), Alan Browne (Nagle CC, Cork), Gavin Boyne (Castleknock CC, Dublin); Kynan Rocks (Christian Brothers College, Cork), Jack Doherty (Comeragh College, Carrick on Suir); Conor Barry (Portumna CS, Galway):

Subs: Ferghal McMahon (St Macartan’s College, Monaghan) for Boyne (46), Sean Hurley (Arklow CBS) for Barry (63), Jake Dykes (Summerhill College, Sligo) for Doherty (79), Alex Condell (Kilkenny College) for Patton (89)

Subs not used: Dylan Cashin (Malahide CS), Jamie Goonery (Palmerstown CS), Daire McDaid (St: Eunan’s College)

ENGLAND: T Gowans (Vandyke); C McCormack (Capt) (South Gloucester/Stroud), K Morris (Stourbridge College), J Poole (Hartpury College), G Nuredini (Ardingly College); L Donaldson (Brighton), S Hippolyte/Patrick (Stanmore), R Gilroy (Sacred Heart, Merseyside), M Smith (Blackpool), N Houghton (Wellcare, Manchester); R Turner (Myerscough, Preston):

Subs: C Gayler (Brighton) for Donaldson, L Binns (Hartpury College) for Nuredini (both 46), R Bailey (West Suffolk) for Smith (58), J Odam (Barton Peveril College) for Houghton (75), R Fergany (Worthing) for Binns (90+2):

Subs not used: M Pearce (Queens School, Hertfordshire)

Referee: Keith Callanan (Cork)

2013 CENTENARY SHIELD RESULTS:

15:03:13          FAI Schools (Boys) 0/1 Northern Ireland (CS) in Institute FC, Derry

27:03:13          FAI Schools (Boys) 2/0 Scotland (CS) in Fraserburgh, Aberdeen

05:04:13          FAI Schools (Boys) 1/0 Wales (CS) in Oscar Traynor Centre, Dublin

26:04:13          FAI Schools (Boys) 2/2 England (CS) in Turner’s Cross Stadium, Cork City

OTHER CENTENARY SHIELD FIXTURES

26:02:13               Northern Ireland 2/1 Scotland (Dungannon)

01:03:13               England 1/4 Wales (Lincoln City)

08:03:13               England 1/1 Northern Ireland (Plymouth)

15:03:13               Wales 2/0 Scotland (Bangor City)

12:04:13               Scotland 1/3 England (St: Johnstone FC)

19:04:13               Wales 1/3 Northern Ireland (Llanelli)

CENTENARY SHIELD TABLE 2012/13

END