Ireland U21s frustrated by stubborn Moldova in Euro 2027 setback

Michael Noonan of Republic of Ireland reacts to a missed chance during the UEFA European U21 Championship qualifier match against Moldova. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

Ireland 1-1 Moldova 

Ireland's hopes of staying involved in the Euro 2027 playoff race suffered another deflating setback as Jim Crawford’s men were held at home by Moldova.

While the Ireland senior team were looking to build on the momentum gained from a remarkable November window, the Under-21s were trying to pick up the pieces from a particularly grim one.

Even in defeat, there was plenty to admire about the Irish performance in a 2-0 loss away to group favourites England late last year, but their shock 4-0 drubbing in Andorra four days later was a devastating set-back for that playoff push.

And so was this experience at Tallaght Stadium, where the Boys in Green had to come from behind in the first-half through Jamie Mullins, only to struggle thereafter to unlock a particularly stubborn defence.

It wasn’t for the lack of trying, mind, as Ireland threw everything at the cause in the dying stages and Trent Kone-Doherty thought he had won it in injury-time, only for his low effort on the turn to clip a defender and dribble wide of the post. It summed up Ireland’s frustrating night.

Crawford had said that nothing less than six points would suffice from this double-header, but Ireland now travel to Kazakhstan on Tuesday five points adrift of second-placed Slovakia - who they still have to play, away - with four games remaining.

Ireland were served early warning of the visitor’s threat in behind as both Mihai Lupan and Vasile Luchita got shots away before Lupan fired wide with another effort when it looked easier to score.

But then Luchita showed him how to do it in style. Petar Gospodinov’s long punt forward in the 20th minute was watched all the way by Nicolae Telic and he prodded the dropping ball inside Alex Murphy and into Luchita’s path, with the midfielder applying a sweet, low finish under goalkeeper Aaron Maguire.

Fears that Ireland would unravel to a group minnow for the second game running were quickly expelled because Moldova’s lead only lasted six minutes. Ireland won a free-kick on the edge of Moldova’s box and Mullins stepped up to drill a low shot through a gaping hole in the wall to get Ireland back on level terms.

Ireland upped the ante after the break and there was more determination to their play as they chased a winner. Mullins wasn’t far away from scoring for a second time, firing low and narrowly wide while a Sam Curtis ball across the face of goal was crying out to be finished off, only to be hacked clear by scrambling Moldovan defenders.

Curtis then whipped in another, higher, cross that Michael Noonan met but the Shamrock Rovers striker’s glancing header fizzed over the crossbar. The pressure was mounting on Moldova but Ireland just couldn’t inflict sufficient damage and the visitors rallied with a volley of quick-fire corners that gave hope to their cause.

Crawford rolled the dice by throwing attackers Jaden Umeh and Tommy Lonergan into the mix for the final 20 minutes, and Newcastle defender Murphy wasn’t far away from connecting with a Mullins free-kick to the back post in the latter stages.

Umeh then had a shot tipped over before Kone-Doherty thought he had won it at the death, but that scrappy nature of Ireland’s attack just compounded their misery as another chance to make inroads came up short.

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Maguire; Curtis, Okagbue, Murphy, McManus; Mullins, Devaney, Moorhouse (Lonerga 70); Ayinde (Umeh 70), Noonan, Kone-Doherty.

MOLDOVA: Nazarciuc; Gospodinov, Dijinari,, Obleac, Graminschii (Colis 71); Sirbu, Luchita (Radu 60), David (Saca 71); Botan (Costin 60), Telic (Caragheorghi 82), Lupan Referee: Walter Altmann (Austria)