The Republic of Ireland fell to a narrow 3-2 defeat in the opening game of the UEFA Development Tournament in Portugal against Switzerland on Thursday morning.
In a topsy-turvy game in which Ireland found themselves three down at halftime, the future Irish stars showed incredible personality and determination to get two back in the second half, through Goodness Ogbonna and Billy Hayes, and created enough chances to even draw or nick the win on another day.
It was the Irish young guns who actually started the sharper with St. Patrick’s Athletic man Billy Canny—one of 18 players in the squad to come from the EA Sports LOI Academies—making a dynamic run, smartly beating his marker, and smashing a low cross, well-smothered by Swiss stopper Amadou Ndiaye.
But following the encouraging start, it was the opposition that took charge, hitting Ireland with a quick-fire double-salvo. Just five minutes in, a devilishly delivered in-swinging corner was glanced home by FC St. Gallan 1879 front man, Nevio Scherrer.
And just minutes later, the disappointing start was made even worse when Scherrer broke the offside trap before slotting underneath the onrushing Ali Topcu.
Ireland dusted themselves down, showed great composure to keep playing their game and went close to halving the deficit only to see Canny’s top-corner bound free-kick well-saved. Minutes later, Ireland should have been given a penalty. The impressive wingback, Ade Solanke, cleverly nutmegged his marker before being bundled over in the area, only to see his claims waved away, much to his dismay.
Saints' hotshot Michael Noonan went close with a brilliant near-post back-heel flick that agonisingly missed the far post.
But on the half-hour mark, the wind was knocked out of their sails again when Alonzo Vicent raced through from midfield onto a long ball and, similarly to Scherrer earlier on, slipped the ball past the Shels keeper, Topcu.
A tough opening half for our Young Boys in Green as we trail 3-0 pic.twitter.com/zVsMzeX8TZ
— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) May 9, 2024
To their immense credit, the young Boys in Green kept on going and on the stroke of half time, Noonan again went agonisingly close but couldn’t direct his header on target from point blank range.
The Irish chances kept flowing into the second half, trying desperately to get back into the game. Billy Canny continued to deliver quality from the right- wing, creating danger on every occasion with the Swiss keeper much busier and on the hour mark, Ireland got what their valiant efforts deserved when substitute Goodness Ogbonna hit an unstoppable drive from 25-yards out to make it 3-1.
A whole host of sporadic substitutions disrupted the Irish momentum as they looked to set up a grandstand finish. The towering skipper Sam Steward stepped forward from defence and saw a powerful deflected shot almost catch the keeper out and with five minutes to go, it really should have been 3-2 when substitute Sam Rooney failed to finish from close range following some high pressing in the box.
But fellow substitute Billy Hayes did make it an extremely interesting injury-time when he showed lightning-quick reactions to win the ball high up and coolly finishing into the bottom corner in the final minutes of normal time.
Unfortunately, time just got the better of Osam’s charges, who put in an impressive performance despite the first half concessions. Up next for the youngsters is another tough-looking fixture against Austria, with a kick-off time of 5pm on Saturday evening.
Republic of Ireland: Ali Topcu; Oisin McDonagh (Vinny Leonard, 88’), Sam Steward, Finn Sherlock (Daniel Costello, 69’); Billy Canny, Oskar Scoubo Keely, Muhammad Oladiti (Goodness Ogbonna, 45’), Grady McDonnell (Ramon Martos, 81’), Ade Solanke (Brody Lee, 69”); Michael Noonan (Sam Rooney, 81’), Billy O’Neill (Billy Hayes, 69’)
Switzerland: Amadou Ndiaye; Gabriel Morisou, Nelson Savnonnier, Aron Martins, Dzan Sabotic; Alonzo Vicent, Erwin Mahic, Adam Ilic, Mladen Mijajlovic; Ivan Cossalter; and Nevio Scherrer.
UEFA Development Tournament Fixtures (Kick-offs are Irish Standard Time)
Thursday, May 9: Switzerland, 2–3, Ireland, Vendes Novas, Portugal, KO 11am
Saturday, May 11 | Ireland v Austria, Seixal, Portugal, KO 5pm
Monday, May 14 | Portugal vs. Ireland, Amora, Portugal, KO 5pm
