Ireland Men’s Under-16s have retained the Victory Shield after a dramatic stoppage time winner from Mohammed Oladiti saw them come from 2-0 down to win 3-2 over Wales. Ireland were awarded three second-half penalties, converting two and seeing one saved, as Paul Osam’s side battled back to win thanks to a brace from St. Patrick’s Athletic’s Michael Noonan and a late spot-kick from Shamrock Rovers’ Oladiti. Ireland went into the game knowing that a win would see them retain the Victory Shield but three minutes into the contest they were a goal behind when Jayden Lienou’s corner went all the way in to give the hosts the lead. Despite having glorious chances throughout the first half and looking the most likely to score Ireland were hit with a sucker punch in first-half injury time. A counter attack from an Irish corner saw the Welsh burst forward and Louie Bradbury finished off a sweeping move to give Wales a two-goal cushion. At half-time Osam rang the changes making four subs and 10 minutes into the second half the comeback began. Grady McDonnell was felled in the box and his fellow substitute Michael Noonan fired home to half the deficit.
𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞? 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞? 😅
Mohammed Oladiti slots home from the penalty spot with the final kick of the game to compete a remarkable turnaround & retain the Victory Shield for Ireland 🇮🇪🏆 pic.twitter.com/MkinPMJi21— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) November 8, 2023
It was all Ireland and five minutes later they were awarded another penalty. Noonan stepped up but this time couldn’t beat Eliot Meredith and the ball was scrabbled for a corner. From that corner Noonan was the first to react to a loose ball in the box and he would bring Ireland on level terms for 2-2. It would be all Ireland as they kept knocking on the Welsh door. Jaden Umeh looked especially dangerous weaving his way through the Welsh defence numerous times but found Meredith more than a match. But deep into stoppage time the comeback was complete and it was from another penalty, Tom Dearden attempted to head the ball away but the ball struck his arm. Oladiti was given the responsibility to secure the Victory Shield for Ireland and he made no mistake with the final kick of the game. The win gave Ireland their fourth Victory Shield title and done so with a game to spare. Wales: Meredith, Lienou, Pugh (C), Street, Reynolds, Neil, Bradbury, Dewsbury, Mlynarski, Grainger, Newman.Substitutes; Stokes, Cisse, Evans, Marciniak, Ellis-Robinson, Parfitt, Dearden, Jones, Pitt, Sillitoe Ireland: Topcu, Costello (Oladiti, 50), McGrath, Steward (C), Sherlock, McMahon Brown (Finneran, 41), Martos (Ogbonna,50) , McEvoy (Umeh 41), Kovalevskis, O’Neill (Noonan, 41), Tollett (McDonnell, 41) Referee: Jonathan Chadwick
Republic of Ireland Men’s Under-16s – Victory Shield Result/Fixtures
Monday, November 6 | Ireland 1-0 ScotlandWednesday, November 8 | Wales 2-3 IrelandSaturday, November 11 | Northern Ireland v Ireland, Ruthin Town FC, Wales, KO 11.05am (Live on LOTV)
