No score in Madeira

Portugal 0 Republic of Ireland 0 FT At the Estadio Municipal Machio, Madeira

The Republic of Ireland U21 side opened their account at the Madeira Island tournament this afternoon with a 0-0 stalemate against host nation Portugal.

Manager Don Givens used fifteen of his 20-man squad and with twelve players unavailable through injury and club commitments, U19s Mark Yeates and Willo Flood were just two of the five players making their debuts at this level.

Tallaght-born striker Yeates almost got in for a first minute goal, blocking goalkeeper Bruno Vale’s attempted clearance but the ball rebounded off the Tottenham front man to go only inches wide.

Borussia Dortmund defender Patrick Kohlmann was called upon to clear an Andre Vilas Boas header off the line on 7 minutes, and Flood was on hand to clear again two minutes before the break as Portugal pressed through Paulo Sergio.

Midfielder Glenn Whelan, who turned 20 last month, created Ireland’s best chance of the first half with a quick free kick releasing Michael Foley but the Liverpool midfielder’s shot was parried well by Vale.

With debutants Henry McStay, Stephen Bradley and Waterford United striker Daryl Murphy brought on, Portugal took a stranglehold in the second half, as a number of their players pressed for inclusion in June’s European U21 finals. Substitute Miguel Faria hammered a volley against the Irish cross bar with nineteen minutes remaining, before Whelan’s 25-yard effort nearing full time just flashed wide of Vale’s right post.

Givens’ side will face Italy tomorrow and close out the tournament against a local selection on Friday afternoon.

Portugal: (4-3-3) Vale (Porto); Laranjeiro (UD Leiria), Castro (Coimbra), Ribeiro (Porto), Daniel (Chaves); Davide (Amadora), Vilas Boas (Porto), Afonso (Porto); Sergio (Coimbra), Edson (PSV Eindhoven), Martinho (Felguerias). Subs used: Joao Paiva (Maritmo) for Edson, Faria (Louletano) for Vilas Boas (both ht), Calvino (Boavista) for Afonso (64 mins), Eliseu (Belenenses) for Martinho (69 mins), Organista (Porto) for Davide (75 mins)

Republic of Ireland: (4-4-2) Henderson (Aston Villa); Kelly (Tottenham Hotspur), Fitzgerald (Blackburn), Paisley (Longford Town), Kohlmann (Borussia Dortmund); Flood (Manchester City), Keegan (Leeds United), Whelan (Manchester City), Foley (Liverpool); Doyle (Cork City), Yeates (Manchester City).

Subs used: Deane (Charlton Athletic) for Flood, McStay (Leeds United) for Paisley (both ht), Bradley (Arsenal) for Yeates (68 mins), Murphy (Waterford United) for Doyle (76 mins)

Referee: M Trefoloni (Italy)