The Irish under-18 women's team beat host nation Poland 3-1 in the second of their three-match UEFA qualifying tournament yesterday with goals from Claire Egan, Niamh Connolly and Caroline Thorpe keeping their team on course for next year's finals.

The Irish, who beat Turkey 4-1 on Tuesday now face Yugoslavia in their final qualifier tomorrow and with the two leading teams from the group progressing Sue Ronan's side are in a strong position.

Back at home, meanwhile, Brian Kerr has called up four players for next week's Under-16 qualifying tournament to be played in Ireland. Keith Fahey (Arsenal), Antony Martin (Blackburn) and Graham Ward (Wolves) have all withdrawn due to injury and in their places Kerr has drafted in Celtic's Andrew Kilmartin as well as Larry Farren and Leonard Walker of Leeds. The Republic's manager has also brought in David Nash of Home Farm.

Ireland will start their qualifying campaign against Sweden at Tolka Park on Monday with games against Switzerland (Richmond Park) and Wales (Tolka Park) to follow on Wednesday and Friday respectively.

The other games involve Wales and Switzerland at the Carlisle Grounds on Monday, Wales and Sweden at Belfield and Switzerland and Sweden at Oriel Park next Friday. All Ireland's games kick off at 7.30.

The FAI yesterday announced that November 13th, the day of the game at Lansdowne Road between Ireland and Turkey will be a "closed day" for Irish football. Club secretaries from all leagues have been informed that any games on that day must finish at least two hours before the kick-off of the senior international match.

Three Irish League soccer clubs were given a new lease of life yesterday after the tax authorities abandoned moves to shut them down.

Petitions to wind up Portadown, Newry Town and Coleraine were dismissed in the High Court in Belfast after the court was told the clubs had paid their bills to the Inland Revenue. Portadown had owed £124,000, Newry Town £46,000 and Coleraine £41,000.