Soccer

Late goals keep Ireland under-21s faint qualification hopes alive

Harry Charsley and Sean Maguire found the net at the RSC to brush aside Slovenia

Ireland under-21s Harry Charsley celebrates scoring his side’s first goal in their qualifying win over Slovenia at the RSC. Photo: Donall Farmer/Inpho
Fri Sept 02 2016 - 21:38

Ireland under-21s 2 Slovenia under-21s 0

Late goals from Harry Charsley and substitute Sean Maguire earned Ireland’s Under-21s their first UEFA qualification victory for 11 months against 10-man Slovenia on Friday night.

With three minutes left at the Waterford RSC, Everton winger Charsley stroked Noel King’s side ahead before Maguire added a second with a penalty he won with his first touch after coming on.

Victory means Ireland can technically still clinch second spot in the group and a potential play-off into next year’s Euros if they win their final pair of qualifiers against Serbia, starting with Tuesday’s first fixture in Novi Sad.

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Six months had passed since Ireland’s last game at this level and evolution in that period was evidenced by the 10 changes to Noel King’s side.

Two debutants, Courtney Duffus and Olamide Shodipo, started in attack and the duo both conjured chances during a scrappy first-half.

Everton striker Duffus was unable to generate the required power on a shot after cutting in from the left on the half hour, allowing Grega Sorcan to save easily.

Shodipo, who has broken into the QPR first-team this season, was guilty of spurning the best first-half opening when he blazed from eight yards on the half hour.

Staunch defending by the Slovenians meant stalemate looked likely until Josh Cullen’s headed Jack Byrne’s cross into the path of Charsley who tucked a low shot into from an acute angle.

Maguire, just on the pitch, was then hauled down in the box by Denis Sme, who received his second yellow card, and the Cork City striker sent the Sorcan the wrong way.

IRELAND: D Rogers (Falkirk); E O'Connell (Celtic), T Hoban (Blackburn Rovers), G Rea (Luton Town), K O'Connor (Cork City); A Browne (Preston NE), J Cullen (Bradford City); H Charsley (Everton), J Byrne (Blackburn Rovers), O Shodipo (QPR); C Duffus (Everton). Subs: S Maguire (Cork City) for Duffus (89 mins), C Dimaio (Chesterfield) for Browne (90 mins).

SLOVENIA: G Sorcan; L Stulac (J Balkovec 7), T Kavcic, D Sme, L Krajnc; K Bajric, A Pihler; A Krefl, D Hotic (A Ozbolt 70), D Crnigoj; G Bajde (Stankovic 80)

Attendance: 820.