Ireland U21s claim Madeira trophy

Madeira selection 0, Republic of Ireland 4

The Republic of Ireland U21s swept aside hosts Madeira this afternoon to claim the Madeira International tournament trophy.

A two-goal win for Portugal over Italy, who were level on points with the Irish at the beginning of the afternoon, means Don Givens' team claims the trophy.

An excellent week, in which the Irish failed to concede a goal in three matches, sees this talented new bunch of players deserved winners of the Republic’s first piece of silverware at this age level.

Ireland outclassed the Madeira side from the off and were 1-0 up after 23 minutes when a pass from Liam Kearney saw him release his Cork City team mate Kevin Doyle and he netted from an acute angle.

Doyle doubled his and Ireland’s tally nine minutes later when he headed Manchester City winger Willo Flood’s right-sided cross.

Manager Givens was subsequently sent from his dug out for protesting over a Stephen Paisley booking, but that failed to ruffle the visitors and despite missing a 36th minute penalty through midfielder Glen Whelan, they closed out the game with two more goals after the break.

In the 54th minute Paul Keegan’s right wing free kick was picked up by Longford Town defender Paisley who nodded coolly into the Madeira net.

Substitute Daryl Murphy of Waterford United set up Flood eleven minutes from time with Ireland’s fourth, a neat left foot shot from 18 yards.

Scorers:

Madeira:

Republic of Ireland: K Doyle 23, 32, Paisley, Flood

Madeira Select: Costa (Camacha); Goncalves (Pontassolense), Silva (Camara de Lobos), Rodrigues (Machico), Patricio (Camara de Lobos); Teixeirinha (Camacha), Silva (Camara de Lobos), Micael (Uniao); Paulinho (Maritmo); Viveiros (Camacha), Steve (Camara de Lobos).

Subs: Gomes (Calheta) forTeixeirinha, Quaresma (Machico) for Paulinho (both ht), Brito (Camara de Lobos) for Steve (63 mins), Pestana (Ribeira) for Rodrigues (66 mins), Agrela (Camara de Lobos) for Micael (86 mins)

Republic of Ireland: Henderson (Aston Villa); Kelly (Tottenham Hotspur), Fitzgerald (Blackburn Rovers), Cooney (Coventry City), Paisley (Longford Town); Flood (Manchester City), Keegan (Leeds United), Whelan (Manchester City), Kearney (Cork City); Doyle (Cork City), Yeates (Tottenham Hotspur).

Subs: Murphy (Waterford United) for Yeates (ht), Cogan (Millwall) for Doyle (73 mins), Deane (Charlton Athletic) for Kearney (81 mins), C Doyle (Birmingham City) for Henderson (83 mins)

Referee: L Batista (Portugal).