Ukraine overcome Northern Ireland U21s

Ukraine Under-21 1 N Ireland Under-21 0

Roy Millar saw his young Northern Ireland charges again run out of luck today in Donetsk as they suffered their fifth defeat in six European Championship qualifying matches.

Northern Ireland gave a spirited show but were undone by a goal from substitute Sergiy Danylovskyy after 58 minutes.

Millar handed first caps to defenders Hugh Davey and Sean Webb while midfielder Sammy Clingan was also given his first start.

Ross County defender Webb got Northern Ireland out of a hole after eight minutes with a timely clearance following a cross from Kostyantin Balabanov.

Ukraine surged forward 60 seconds later and Southampton goalkeeper Alan Blayney made a superb save from Ruslan Bidnenko.

However Northern Ireland retaliated and Clingan stung the fingers of the home goalkeeper with a powerful effort from 20 yards.

Lee McEvilly was left flattened in the 16th minute following an aerial collision with Sergiy Puchkov with the Irish complaining an elbow had been used.

Northern Ireland broke quickly in the 22nd minute and McEvilly released Terry McFlynn down the right.

He cut inside but failed to get a decent connection with his effort drifting closer to the corner flag than the goal.

This was a good spell for Irish and Davey surged forward in the 33rd minute. He delivered a deep cross that the goalkeeper parried but there was no-one following up.

Northern Ireland manager Millar decided to keep things as they were at the start of the second half.

Blayney was growing in confidence between the posts and saved comfortably when Ruslan Rotan rattled in a 30-yard free-kick.

Northern Ireland went behind in the 58th minute when substitute Danylovskyy found the target after Hughes failed to make the clearance.

Hughes, however, redeemed himself in the 64th minute by blocking a goalbound effort from Olexiy Godin.

Puchkov then went in hard on McEvilly and found himself booked by referee Drazenko Kovacic in the 67th minute.

Northern Ireland seemed to have lost the midfield as the game entered a crucial stage.

Millar decided to ring the changes in the 77th minute. Steve Davis and Lee Clarke replaced Davey and Gavin Melaugh but despite plenty of effort Northern Ireland could not rescue an equaliser.