20.09.2015 at 16:00 Gornja Radgona, Gornja Radgona
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Attendance: |
Russia |
2 - 1
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Ireland Under 19 |
Referee: |
European Championship Qualifier-match |
After being awarded a 3-0 victory over Slovenia (following a UEFA ruling that they had fielded an ineligible player) and beating Bulgaria 6-0, Dave Connell's team had ensured passage through to the Elite Phase.
They still wanted to finish these qualifying games on a high, but it wasn't to be in spite of their positive attacking play and determination to keep up with a very good Russian side.
Ireland took the lead inside the opening five minutes when Castlebar Celtic ace Jessica Nolan applied a cool finish and they held onto that advantage going in at the break.
Russia drew level on 56 minutes through Alena Andreeva before Marina Fedorova added their second goal on 71 minutes to ensure they secured a third straight win and topped Group 10.
"We were excellent in the first half and we knew going into the game that they were a danger, but we felt that we could get in behind them and we did that to create a couple of chances and Jess Nolan scored an excellent goal," said Connell.
"They broke on us and scored, but we knew that they would come at us. Still, we created a couple of great chances late on with Megan Connolly going close with a free-kick and Eleanor Ryan Doyle having an effort at the back post.
"When we look back at it, we will see the game as an opportunity missed. But we now have a fair idea of where we are and where we need to get to for the Elite Phase qualifiers, because Russia were a step up.
"Overall it's been a successful week as we qualified for the Elite Phase and got better as the week went on. We now know what we have to work on because it will only get tougher going into the next stage of qualifiers."
Connell is already preparing for the Elite Phase qualifiers, which will take place in early 2016, as he targets a place at next summer's finals tournament in Slovakia.
From this encouraging start to their campaign, Connell has reason to be upbeat about their chances and he will look forward to working with his team again ahead of their next three qualifiers.
Republic of Ireland: Dunne; Donnelly (Watters 89), Keenan, Moloney, McCartan; Daly, H Nolan; Connolly, McCarthy, J Nolan (McLaughlin 73); Ryan Doyle.
Russia: Scherbakova; Kolesnikova, Voloshina, Chereprenva, Bizenkova; Bespalikova, Simanovskaya, Shvedova, Mashina; Fedorova, Andreeva.
FIXTURES
Republic of Ireland WU19 3-0 Slovenia, Tuesday, September 15
Republic of Ireland WU19 6-0 Bulgaria, Thursday, September 17
Republic of Ireland WU19 1-2 Russia, Sunday, September 20 |
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