Ireland unlucky to get just a point

Estonia U-21s 1 Republic of Ireland U-21s 1

Cillian Sheridan’s equaliser in Estonia opened the Republic of Ireland’s account in the European U-21 Championship qualifying campaign tonight.

The 20-year-old Celtic striker, currently on loan at Plymouth, struck in the seventh minute in Rakvere to cancel out Kaimar Saag’s opener and secure a creditable point against the current leaders in Group Two.

However, Don Givens’ side perhaps should have returned with all three points after more than giving as good as they got.

The Republic went into the game having lost their opening qualifier 3-0 at Turner’s Cross in Cork back in March, and desperate for a positive result against the Estonians, who had won in Switzerland and at home to Georgia in the opening two fixtures.

But they got off to the worst possible start when, after the home side had already gone close, Saag beat keeper Burton Albion’s Shane Readman with only four minutes gone to get the hosts off to the perfect start.

However, it took Sheridan just three minutes to level as the Irish launched a concerted fightback.

But for all the visitors pressed forward in the search for a winner, the sides could not be separated during the remaining 83 minutes and they had to settle for draw.

The result leaves Ireland in fifth place in the group, six points adrift of Estonia and five worse off than both Turkey – who lost 4-0 in Georgia this afternoon – and Switzerland, all of whom have played a game more.