Nigeria gatecrash Ireland farewell party

Republic of Ireland 1, Nigeria 2 (full-time)

The Republic of Ireland were given a World Cup wake-up call as Nigeria gatecrashed the Lansdowne Road farewell party for Mick McCarthy’s squad.

Goals from 19-year-old Julius Agahowa, dubbed ‘the Michael Owen of Nigeria’ and Crewe defender Efe Sodje ensured celebrations were muted in front of a near-43,000 crowd.

Steven Reid, who was only called up yesterday due to an injury to Mark Kennedy, pulled one back after arriving as a 61st minute substitute, but it was not enough for the Irish as their 11-game unbeaten home record stretching back two years came to an end.

There were strong appeals for a penalty in the 78th minute when Oruma appeared to handle in the area a Reid cross from the right-hand edge of the box, but Portuguese referee Antonia Almeida Costa was unmoved.

Kinsella did put the ball in the back of the net three minutes from time, but Morrison was offside in flicking the ball into the path of the Charlton star after Shorumnu had again saved his side with a fine stop to deny Holland.

In injury time Connolly latched onto an angled half-volley from eight yards, but the shot was driven straight into the midriff of Shorumnu as he again kept Ireland at bay.