Rep. of Ireland U21 2 - 1 Austria U21
Credit:
Noel King's Republic of Ireland U-21s recorded a 2-1 win over Austria at The Showgrounds in Sligo on Tuesday evening. A Robbie Brady penalty, one minute into added time at the end of the game stole the show for Ireland after Brady himself had equalised Raphael Holzhauser's 72nd minute free kick on 75 minutes.The Manchester United winger's goals giving Ireland the win in this warm up friendly ahead of their European Championships qualifier against Hungry next month.
In an entertaining game in the North West, it was the home side who looked to draw first blood as Chelsea's Conor Clifford, who was called up to Giovanni Tappatoni's senior squad on Monday evening, went close. He moved the ball past Holzhauser, only to see his shot well held at his left by Austria 'keeper Heinz Lindner on three minutes. Two minutes later, full back Mark Connolly's cross from the right was closely watched by Brady at the back post but Lindner managed to rise and claim before it reached the young Manchester United star.
It took a while for Austria to get into the game on a tight Sligo pitch, and on 27 minutes Andreas Herzog's side had their first opportunity. Ireland 'keeper Ian McLoughlin came to claim Martin Hinteregger's cross from the left, but the MK Dons shot-stopper misjudged the pace and flight of the ball but managed to get just about enough of a hand on the ball to guide Stefan Schwab's header away from his goal. The game was competitive but nothing special as the first half wore on. Eleven minutes before half-time Robbie Brady found himself one on one with Lindner, but he was adjudged offside by linesman Tony Sharkey as he looked to collect Clifford's through ball. On 37 minutes the away side missed a good chance to take the lead as after some good build up play from captain Christopher Drazan and Dieter Elsneg, Schwab's tame shot was hit straight at McLoughlin in the Ireland goal.
McLoughlin again had Irish hearts in their mouths on 39 minutes as he failed to gather a Drazan cross, only for the ball to fall kindly at his feet as he cleared the ball to safety. Aaron Doran almost put Ireland in front five minutes before the break when the Inverness striker turned his marker, only to see his shot clip the Austrian crossbar before Aidan White’s cross on the stroke of 45 was well caught by Lindner as Brady waited to capitalise on any mistake by the ’keeper.
Both sides made a cluster of substitutions at half time with King introducing Everton’s Shane Duffy along with Joe Mason, Lanre Oyebanjo and former Monaghan United goalkeeper Aaron McCarey. Austria’s half time changes saw Daniel Schopf and Dario Tadic make their first appearances on Irish soil.
The second half was worth the entrance fee alone with both teams looking to register scores. Mason was unlucky to see his deflected shot blocked only feet from the Austria goal line after Brady drilled the ball in from the right before Florian Hart’s pot-shot from distance gave McCarey his first test in the Ireland goal on 49 minutes. The all-action Brady was unlucky not to score two minutes later after he collected the ball on the half way line, beat two Austrian defenders only to see Lindner equal to the winger’s attempt.
Both teams were putting on a good passing exhibition, but it wasn’t until the 65th minute before anything got the 1,800 in attendance hearts racing. Only moments after coming on, Austria’s number 7 Dario Tadic hit a fierce shot from the edge of the area, only for an Irish head to clear off the line. But the Irish defence couldn’t stop what was coming seven minutes later as Holzhauser gave Austria the lead. Full back Connolly was adjudged to have brought substitute Christoph Kropfl down outside the box despite pleas from both the player and the Sligo crowd. Holzhauser’s swerving free kick ended up beyond McCarey and into the Irish net to give the Austrians the lead.
But the home side were not be denied as only two minutes later they were level through a White cross which was headed home by Brady to The Showgrounds’ delight. Although Austria should have gone ahead straight after the goal when Tadic miscued from three yards as McCarey lay on the ground after saving a Hart shot just before Duffy fouled Lindner in his six yard box as the centre half had the goal at his mercy.
At this stage King had introduced his two League of Ireland representatives for the night Aaron Greene and Enda Stephens. Both Greene and Stephens impressed on the left and it was from here that Brady won the penalty and the game for Ireland. The star of the night was fouled by substitute Michael Sollbauer as Brady turned him and the man of the match made no mistake in placing the ball past Lindner a minute into stoppage time at the end of the game. Austria had another chance to score their second on 93 minutes, but McCarey acrobatically tipped Stefan Hierlander’s shot over his crossbar.
Republic of Ireland: Ian McLoughlin , Mark Connolly, Gavin Gunning , Robert Kiernan (captain), Niall Canavan, Richard Towell, Conor Clifford, Robert Brady, Jeff Hendrick, Aaron Doran, Aidan White.
Subs: Shane Duffy (for Kiernan, HT), Joe Mason (for Clifford, HT), Lanre Oyebanjo (for Hendrick, HT), Daniel Kearns (for Doran, 84), Aaron McCarey (GK) (for McLoughlin, HT) , Enda Stevens (for Gunning, HT), Aaron Greene (for White, 75).
Austria: Heinz Lindner, Stephan Zwierschitz, Thomas Hopfer, Raphael Holzhauser, Martin Hinteregger, Dieter Elsneg, Florian Hart, Maximilian Karner, Christopher Drazan (captain), Stefan Schwab, Stefan Hierlander.
Subs: Christian Petrovic (GK), Michael Sollbauer (for Karner, 75), Christoph Kropfl (for Elsneg, 64), Dario Tadic (for Schwab, HT), Marcel Holzmann (for Zwierschitz, 75), Michael Gregoritsch (for Drazan 64), Daniel Schopf (for Hopfer, HT).
Referee: Arnold Hunter (Northern Ireland)
Attendance: 1,800
extratime.ie man of the match: Robbie Brady, the Manchester United star was a cut above the rest and is sure to be a big star in the future.
In an entertaining game in the North West, it was the home side who looked to draw first blood as Chelsea's Conor Clifford, who was called up to Giovanni Tappatoni's senior squad on Monday evening, went close. He moved the ball past Holzhauser, only to see his shot well held at his left by Austria 'keeper Heinz Lindner on three minutes. Two minutes later, full back Mark Connolly's cross from the right was closely watched by Brady at the back post but Lindner managed to rise and claim before it reached the young Manchester United star.
It took a while for Austria to get into the game on a tight Sligo pitch, and on 27 minutes Andreas Herzog's side had their first opportunity. Ireland 'keeper Ian McLoughlin came to claim Martin Hinteregger's cross from the left, but the MK Dons shot-stopper misjudged the pace and flight of the ball but managed to get just about enough of a hand on the ball to guide Stefan Schwab's header away from his goal. The game was competitive but nothing special as the first half wore on. Eleven minutes before half-time Robbie Brady found himself one on one with Lindner, but he was adjudged offside by linesman Tony Sharkey as he looked to collect Clifford's through ball. On 37 minutes the away side missed a good chance to take the lead as after some good build up play from captain Christopher Drazan and Dieter Elsneg, Schwab's tame shot was hit straight at McLoughlin in the Ireland goal.
McLoughlin again had Irish hearts in their mouths on 39 minutes as he failed to gather a Drazan cross, only for the ball to fall kindly at his feet as he cleared the ball to safety. Aaron Doran almost put Ireland in front five minutes before the break when the Inverness striker turned his marker, only to see his shot clip the Austrian crossbar before Aidan White’s cross on the stroke of 45 was well caught by Lindner as Brady waited to capitalise on any mistake by the ’keeper.
Both sides made a cluster of substitutions at half time with King introducing Everton’s Shane Duffy along with Joe Mason, Lanre Oyebanjo and former Monaghan United goalkeeper Aaron McCarey. Austria’s half time changes saw Daniel Schopf and Dario Tadic make their first appearances on Irish soil.
The second half was worth the entrance fee alone with both teams looking to register scores. Mason was unlucky to see his deflected shot blocked only feet from the Austria goal line after Brady drilled the ball in from the right before Florian Hart’s pot-shot from distance gave McCarey his first test in the Ireland goal on 49 minutes. The all-action Brady was unlucky not to score two minutes later after he collected the ball on the half way line, beat two Austrian defenders only to see Lindner equal to the winger’s attempt.
Both teams were putting on a good passing exhibition, but it wasn’t until the 65th minute before anything got the 1,800 in attendance hearts racing. Only moments after coming on, Austria’s number 7 Dario Tadic hit a fierce shot from the edge of the area, only for an Irish head to clear off the line. But the Irish defence couldn’t stop what was coming seven minutes later as Holzhauser gave Austria the lead. Full back Connolly was adjudged to have brought substitute Christoph Kropfl down outside the box despite pleas from both the player and the Sligo crowd. Holzhauser’s swerving free kick ended up beyond McCarey and into the Irish net to give the Austrians the lead.
But the home side were not be denied as only two minutes later they were level through a White cross which was headed home by Brady to The Showgrounds’ delight. Although Austria should have gone ahead straight after the goal when Tadic miscued from three yards as McCarey lay on the ground after saving a Hart shot just before Duffy fouled Lindner in his six yard box as the centre half had the goal at his mercy.
At this stage King had introduced his two League of Ireland representatives for the night Aaron Greene and Enda Stephens. Both Greene and Stephens impressed on the left and it was from here that Brady won the penalty and the game for Ireland. The star of the night was fouled by substitute Michael Sollbauer as Brady turned him and the man of the match made no mistake in placing the ball past Lindner a minute into stoppage time at the end of the game. Austria had another chance to score their second on 93 minutes, but McCarey acrobatically tipped Stefan Hierlander’s shot over his crossbar.
Republic of Ireland: Ian McLoughlin , Mark Connolly, Gavin Gunning , Robert Kiernan (captain), Niall Canavan, Richard Towell, Conor Clifford, Robert Brady, Jeff Hendrick, Aaron Doran, Aidan White.
Subs: Shane Duffy (for Kiernan, HT), Joe Mason (for Clifford, HT), Lanre Oyebanjo (for Hendrick, HT), Daniel Kearns (for Doran, 84), Aaron McCarey (GK) (for McLoughlin, HT) , Enda Stevens (for Gunning, HT), Aaron Greene (for White, 75).
Austria: Heinz Lindner, Stephan Zwierschitz, Thomas Hopfer, Raphael Holzhauser, Martin Hinteregger, Dieter Elsneg, Florian Hart, Maximilian Karner, Christopher Drazan (captain), Stefan Schwab, Stefan Hierlander.
Subs: Christian Petrovic (GK), Michael Sollbauer (for Karner, 75), Christoph Kropfl (for Elsneg, 64), Dario Tadic (for Schwab, HT), Marcel Holzmann (for Zwierschitz, 75), Michael Gregoritsch (for Drazan 64), Daniel Schopf (for Hopfer, HT).
Referee: Arnold Hunter (Northern Ireland)
Attendance: 1,800
extratime.ie man of the match: Robbie Brady, the Manchester United star was a cut above the rest and is sure to be a big star in the future.
