Under-21 Qualifying/ Montenegro 1 Republic of Ireland 0: The Republic of Ireland's poor start to the Uefa Under-21 Championship qualifying campaign continued with a frustrating defeat by Montenegro in Podgorica yesterday.
Although regular manager Don Givens was in Cardiff with the senior squad, his deputy Sean McCaffrey witnessed a familiar problem hampering this group of players.
In their opening two games in this group, Ireland suffered the consequences of conceding needless early goals.
The same failing that hit them against Portugal and England struck again as the Irish fell behind after just four minutes. Watford's John-Joe O'Toole made a poor pass in midfield and Goran Vujovic took full advantage by driving through to blast past the exposed Darren Quigley.
Adam Rooney was denied an equaliser in the 27th minute when he got on the end of a Stephen Quinn pass on the left but goalkeeper Bojan Radanovic knocked his strike out for a corner.
Ilija Spasojevic and Vujovic passed up opportunities to extend the home side's lead before the break. Keith Treacy was then unfortunate to see his long-range strike beat Radanovic but whistle narrowly wide.
Rooney passed up a tremendous chance in the 61st minute when hitting straight at the goalkeeper after being put through by Quinn.
Goalkeeper Radanovic got a break two minutes later when Treacy sent in a thumping strike that the goalkeeper fumbled and then saved before the Irish could react.
Substitute Aidan Downes was then set up by Quinn in the 78th minute but he volleyed over after arriving unmarked eight yards out. As the clock ticked the Irish grew more desperate and substitute Conor Sammon blew another great chance in the 89th minute when he headed wide from Treacy's left wing cross.
Downes sent in another right-wing cross in the 90th minute but this time Rooney shot wide on the turn.
When the final whistle blew the home side celebrated their first home win in six attempts in the competition while the Irish tried to turn their minds to Tuesday's clash with Bulgaria.
MONTENEGRO: Radanovic; Zverotic, Iguamanovic, Bojovic, Novakovic, Markovic, Brnovic (Vukcevic 69), Vidovic (Delic 55), Cetkovic, Vujovic, Spasojevic (Bozovic 78).
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Quigley (UCD); Nolan (Blackburn), Keogh (Bristol City), O'Cearuill (Barnet), Powell (Bohemians), O'Toole (Watford) (Downes, Everton 65), Gleeson (Wolves), Quinn (Sheffield Utd), O'Brien (Celtic) (Sammon, UCD 85), Rooney (Stoke City), Treacy (Blackburn).
Referee: F Yusifov(Azerbaijan).
• Goals in either half from Gabriel Agbonlahor and James Milner guided Stuart Pearce's England under-21 side to a vital win over Bulgaria in their European Championship qualifier at stadium:mk.
It maintains England's 100 per cent record in Group Three and a sixth straight win in Portugal on Tuesday would all but ensure their progress to the play-offs for a chance to secure a place in the finals in Sweden.
