Republic of Ireland XI 2 Ireland Juniors 0:Greg Cunningham and Paul Green put in solid performances as Giovanni Trapattoni's Republic of Ireland XI ran out 2-0 winners over the Irish Juniors in Malahide tonight.
The game took time to kick into life with Shane Duffy’s injury the main talking point of the first half. The Everton player was taken to hospital as a precautionary measure after colliding with amateur goalkeeper Adrian Walsh after 35 minutes.
Duffy took a knee to the chest and was given oxygen before being taken to hospital in an ambulance. He was already ruled out for next Tuesday’s game against Paraguay at the RDS.
Duffy was replaced by Keith Fahey and a reshuffle at the back saw captain Paul McShane move to centre half and Kevin Foley to right back.
Both goals came in the second period and the opener on 56 minutes was a real comedy of errors. Liam Lawrence crossed from the right only for Cillian Sheridan to scuff his shot, which was eventually deflected past Walsh in the Junior goal.
Lawrence got in on the act again for the second just before the hour mark. The Stoke player swung in a corner from the left before McShane met it with a well-taken header six yards out.
The early exchanges were scrappy enough and it took Ireland the best part of 30 minutes before they managed a single shot on goal when Lawrence fired straight at the keeper.
The Juniors, a team drawn from the country’s amateur ranks, started well and worked hard to create a couple of first half chances. The best opportunity came on 13 minutes when David Lacey volleyed on the turn after meeting an angled cross from Ross Carrig but wasted the chance to go ahead.
Sheridan should have got on the scoresheet again midway through the second half but he misdirected a header from close range.
Darren O'Dea missed another gilt-edged chance for Ireland at the death when he headed over the bar. The move began from a corner on the left, was worked out to the right before being crossed back in with Shane Long heading towards goal but O'Dea headed over from close range.
All night Ireland struggled to create anything of note from open play and all too often had to rely on set pieces, particularly corners.
Cunningham looked composed and in control even when put under pressure, while Green was solid throughout. Both did themselves no harm ahead of next week's game, but it all depends who comes into the final squad over the weekend.
Irish Senior selection: J Murphy (Scunthorpe); McShane (Hull City), Duffy (Everton), O'Dea (Celtic), Cunningham (Manchester City); Lawrence (Stoke City), Foley (Wolves), Green (Derby County), Long (Reading); Sheridan (Celtic), Best (Newcastle United). Subs: Fahey for Duffy (38 mins), B Murphy (Ipswich Town) for Murphy and Stokes (Hibernian) for best (half-time).
Irish Junior selection: Walsh; Dillon, Walsh, Carrig, Hoey; Lacey, Dunne, Loughran, Murphy; Kelly, Keogh. Subs: O'Connell for Walsh and O'Sullivan for Loughran (half-time), Whelahan for Keogh, Sherlock for Walsh and Hanrahan for Murphy (56 mins), Kennedy for Lacey and Mulleady for Dillon (66 mins), Lee for Dunne (75 mins).
Referee: D McKeon (Dublin).