Republic Of Ireland 3
England 1
The Republic of Ireland beat England to ensure a spot in the Under-21 Euro 2027 playoffs in a come-from-behind 3-1 win at Turner’s Cross Stadium, Cork, on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, earlier today the Republic of Ireland Women’s National Team trounced Kazakhstan 8-0 in the away leg of their World Cup semifinal play-off.
The Under-21 Irish men’s have never competed in the Euros in this age category, but their leap-frogging of Slovakia into a second-place group finish in recent weeks gives them a fighting chance of doing so next summer in Albania and Serbia.
Reigning champions England, led by former Republic international Lee Carsley, topped the group and thus are already qualified.
The Three Lions boys opened the scoring via Tyler Dibling in the 7th minute, with the English player clinically pouncing upon a deflection. The Boys in Green, playing in front of a full house, responded with the first of Tommy Lonegan’s brace in the 22nd minute. Rory Finneran passed to Lonergan who struck from 12 yards out on the right. Conor McManus did much of the work before getting a return pass from Trent Kone-Doherty and making no mistake with the finish. Lonergan’s second in the 63rd minute was a powerful left-footed volley when the ball fell kindly to the Waterford F.C. player in a crowded penalty area.
Republic of Ireland: Noah Jauny; Cathal McCarthy, Oisin Gallagher, Sean Grehan, Alex Murphy, Conor McManus; Rory Finneran, Jacob Devaney, Jamie Mullins, Trent Kone Doherty; Tom Lonergan.
Subs: Darius Lipsiuc for McManus (64); Romeo Akachukwu for Doherty (75), Michael Noonan for Mullins (81), Grady McDonnell for Lonergan (82).
England: Tommy Setford; Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, Stephen Mfuni, Max Alleyne, Amario Cozier-Duberry; Josh King, Sydie Peck, Archie Gray; Tyler Dibling, Divin Mubama, Ethan Nwaneri.
Subs: Mukasa Divine for Nwaneri (HT); Harrison Armstrong for King (60), Tyrique George for Cozier-Duberry (60), William Lankshear for Peck (67), Samuel Amo-Ameyaw for Dibling (82).
Referee: Alessandro Dudic (Switzerland).
