Ireland walloped as Doolin left with plenty to ponder

Ireland U19 0 Slovenia U19 3

This week’s double-header friendly, the second game coming tomorrow at the same venue (1pm), are Paul Doolin’s last warm-up matches for the qualifiers in Sweden against Azerbaijan, Bosnia Herzegovina and the mini-group hosts.

Apart from an early chance for Manchester United striker Sam Byrne which was saved, Ireland were utterly outplayed.

Ireland fell behind after 14 minutes. A foul on Bian Paul Sauperi 20 yards out allowed Dino Hotic to step up and curl his free-kick into the top corner.

Concerted pressure forced Slovenia’s second two minutes the break. Ireland were pinned back in their box when Bian Paul Sauperi turned on the edge of the box and chipped a shot over Fagan and in off the crossbar.

Ireland’s night worsened in the 53rd-minute when Luka Zahovic was allowed dart along the end-line on the left before squaring for Luka Gajic to tap in the third.

IRELAND: Fagan (Shamrock Rovers); Long (Reading), Baba (Fulham), McFadden (Norwich City); Moseley (Birmingham City); Browne (Cork City), Donnellan (Cork City); O’Halloran (Fulham), Kelly (Reading), Wixted (Derby County); Byrne (Manchester United).

Subs: O’Sullivan (Aberdeen) for Byrne, Crowe (UCD) for Donnellan, Taylor (Shelbourne) for Kelly (all 62 mins), Whittle (Waterford Utd) for Wixted (68 mins), Coyne (UCD) for Taylor (78 mins, inj).

SLOVENIA: Zabret; Reja (Andrejasic 90), Paljusic (Klemencic 72), Jazbec, Vuklisevic; Lorbek (Corn 72), Crnigoj (Krivinic 60), Sauperl; Hotic (Kurk 83), Zahovic (Stonjanovic 60), Gajic (Krajnc 72).

Referee: Sean Grant (Wexford).