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20.11.2007 at 19:45 Excelsior Stadium, Airdrie.
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Attendance: |
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Scotland |
1 - 1
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Rep. of Ireland B |
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Referee: Joseph Attard (Malta) |
Friendly-match |
Smith (Motherwell),
McNaughton (Cardiff City),
Armstrong (Sheffield United),
Berra (Hearts),
Dodds (Dundee United),
Stewart (Hearts),
Whittaker (Rangers),
Thomson (Rangers),
Iwelumo (Charlton Athletic),
Howard (Derby County),
Wallace (Sunderland). |
Colin Doyle
Jim Goodwin
Sean Dillon
Alex Bruce
Noel Hunt
Graham Gartland
Jon Walters
Glen Whelan
Michael Doyle
Roy O'Donovan
Wes Hoolahan
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Fletcher (Hibernian) for Iwelumo,
Adam (Rangers) for Wallace.
Broadfoot (Rangers) for Stewart. |
None. |
Republic of Ireland B team were unlucky not to register a win over Scotland in last night’s friendly international against Scotland in the Excelsior Stadium, Airdrie.
Aberdeen defender, Richie Byrne, had given Ireland a deserved lead after 66 minutes only to see it cancelled out by a late equaliser from Scotland’s Steven Howard.
Ireland B manager, Pat Devlin, said that while he was disappointed not to have won the game, he was pleased with the performance.
“All 17 players acquitted themselves well and I think that four or five of them have a great chance of stepping up to the senior squad. I thought we played very well once we settled and probably should have scored a few more goals,” said Devlin.
After a shaky start Ireland quickly found their rhythm when O’Donovan and Hunt (Dundee Utd) played a skilful one-two in the 13th minute which resulted in Hunt’s shot being comfortably saved by the Scottish keeper.
Ireland suffered a blow after 28 minutes when Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Glenn Whelan was forced to come off after failing to shrug off the effects of crunching tackle.
Ireland maintained the pressure on the Scottish defence with O’Donovan just failing to connect with Hoolahan’s dangerous cross while Walters also had a near miss when his cross was plucked from the air by the Scottish keeper as three Irish players waited to pounce.
A Scottish mistake in the 32nd minute saw O’Donovan pounce too tee up Hunt but Graeme Smith responded with a fine save.
Scotland’s best chance of the opening half came in the 42nd minute when a shot from Wallace was tipped over the bar by Doyle.
Devlin brought on Mark Yeates and Stephen Ward for Hunt and O’Donovan early in the second half, just after Hunt had almost profited from a goal mouth scramble. The two substitutes didn’t take long to make an impact with Ward testing Graheme Smith in the Scottish goals before Yeates crashed a 25 yard shot off the crossbar and another substitute, Byrne reacted quickest to fire home the rebound.
Yeates and Michael Doyle both went close to increasing Ireland’s lead before Scotland stunned the Irish with a late equaliser when substitute goalkeeper, Dan Connor, allowed Howard’s header to squirm over the line.
Ireland finished the game with ten men after Jim Goodwin received a second yellow card for a foul on the edge of the box.
“I think tonight’s game showed that there is a value to having B internationals and I hope that the next manager will see the value of keeping them going,” said Devlin.
Republic of Ireland B; Colin Doyle (Birmingham City); Jim Goodwin (Scunthorpe),
Alex Bruce (c) (Ipswich Town), Graham Gartland (Drogheda United), Sean Dillon (Dundee United); Jon Walters (Ipswich Town), Glenn Whelan (Sheffield Wednesday), Michael Doyle (Coventry City), Wes Hoolahan (Blackpool); Roy O’Donovan (Sunderland), Noel Hunt (Dundee United). Substitutes: Richie Byrne (Aberdeen ) for Whelan, Mark Yeates (Colchester) for Hunt, Stephen Ward (Wolves) for O’Donovan, David Bell (Colchester) for Walters, Alan Bennett (Southampton) for Gartland, Dan Connor (Drogheda United) for C Doyle
Scotland B: Smith (Motherwell), McNaughton (Cardiff City), Armstrong (Sheffield United), Berra (Hearts), Dodds (Dundee United), Stewart (Hearts), Whittaker (Rangers), Thomson (Rangers), Iwelumo (Charlton Athletic), Howard (Derby County), Wallace (Sunderland). Subs: Fletcher (Hibernian) for Iwelumo, Adam (Rangers) for Wallace.
Broadfoot (Rangers) for Stewart. |
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