Ireland book place in elite phase
The comfortable defeat of Moldova at St Colman’s Park made it two wins out of two in their qualifying tournament. With one game remaining, against Italy at Turners Cross tomorrow night, the Republic are guaranteed a top-two finish in their four-man group to ensure progress to the elite group tournament next spring.
McCaffrey had guided the U17s to a similar stage last month in the Ukraine and victory on home soil means his U19s are a step closer to reaching the finals in Poland next summer.
Ireland’s win came courtesy of a fine individual first-half goal from Reading’s Jonathan Hayes, a penalty five minutes into the second half coolly dispatched by Leeds United youngster Ian Morris and a late tap-in from substitute Diarmuid O’Carroll. And there was even the luxury of a missed last-minute penalty.
Ireland were well worth their 1-0 half-time lead. McCaffrey’s side had prompted and probed for the opening 30 minutes, with captain John Paul Kelly and Morris pulling the strings from midfield. Kelly went close in the 17th minute when he followed up a darting run down the right by checking inside and sending a shot across the face of the Moldovan goal.
A minute later, Darren Gibson launched a free-kick into the box which was met in the box by defender Edward Nolan, whose header was safely gathered by the goalkeeper.
The breakthrough came in the 29th minute when Darren Stapleton’s short throw-in reached Anthony Stokes, who took advantage of a slip by Patras. The Arsenal striker fed Hayes who used good, quick feet to dance past the challenge of three Moldovan defenders to reach the six-yard box from where he stabbed the ball past the keeper and into the net.
They wrapped the game up shortly after half-time, when a cross from the left struck the arm of Moldovan captain Casian and the Danish referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.
Nor was there any fuss in the way Morris fired home the penalty kick, lashing the ball into the roof of the net.
McCaffrey, who had earlier seen Italy and Northern Ireland play out a goalless draw, saw fit to make some changes with a meeting against the Italians less than 48 hours away.
Opening goalscorer Hayes was the first to make way in the 65th minute, replaced by Shelbourne’s James Chambers. Celtic duo James O’Brien and Diarmuid O’Carroll also entered the fray, as did a Collie dog, who trotted into the midfield area, plonked himself down as play was halted and proceeded to wash itself before the fourth official finally coaxed it from the field.
O’Carroll sealed the three points for Ireland three minutes from time. Stokes did the hard work, turning his man but then seeing his shot parried by the keeper. However, O’Carroll was on hand to tap in.
Stokes had a chance to grab some of the glory two minutes later when he was tripped in the box. With Morris already withdrawn from the action, the Arsenal striker grabbed the ball to take the penalty but his side-footed shot was well saved by Gaiduchevici, diving low to his left.
: D Randolph (Charlton), D Stapleton (Reading), E Nolan (Blackburn), D O’Dea (Celtic), D Gibson (Man Utd), J Hayes (Reading, J Chambers, 65mins), I Morris (Leeds, D O’Carroll, 82mins), A Stokes (Arsenal), JP Kelly (Bohemians), B Clarke (Ipswich, J O’Brien, 69mins), S Kelly (Arsenal).
: A Gaiduchevici, V Nosenco, S Cojocari, P Racu, D Berbinschi, A Caisan, P Stinga (V Cemirtan, h-t - I Livandovschii, 78mins), A Suvorov, A Patras (S Zacon, 75mins), V Bulat.
: E Laursen (Denmark).
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