Captain Miller leads by example

UNDER-21 INTERNATIONAL: Republic of Ireland 2 Germany 2 Liam Miller led by example to score a late equaliser as Ireland produced one of their best displays at under-21 level for some time to give Don Givens' side a much needed boost ahead of Friday's UEFA qualifier with Albania in Longford.

Captaining the side for the first time, Miller tapped home an 87th goal to square the match, with fellow Corkonian John O'Flynn fittingly providing the pull back after he had skipped clear - despite looking suspiciously offside - onto Stephen Kelly's ball down the line.

A positive start by Ireland, in front of a 3,500 crowd, had brought its reward on 20 minutes with the lead goal after both Andy Reid and O'Flynn had scores disallowed for offside.

But there was no assistant referee's flag as Graham Barrett played through O'Flynn after Sean Thornton had won the ball in midfield. The Cork City striker showed superb composure to run clear, take the ball around German goalkeeper Tom Starke and roll it into the net; a first goal in his first start for Ireland.

But Ireland's inexperienced defence, in which Stephen Kelly, Colin Cryan and Stephen Capper were all making their debuts, was twice exposed as Germany hit back to take a 2-1 interval lead.

The older and physically bigger Germans equalised on the half-hour mark when the prolific Benjamin Auer got onto Mimoun Azaouagh's ball over the top to emphatically volley home his 10th goal in 13 internationals.

The German lead came just two minutes later when Aston Villa-based Thomas Hitzlsberger got a fortunate ricochet off a defender as he attempted a one-two with Auer and he struck a crisp right-footed shot past Graham Stack from the edge of the area.

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Stack (Arsenal); Kelly (Tottenham), Cryan (Sheffield Utd), Thompson (Nottingham Forest), Capper (Sunderland); Butler (Sunderland), Miller (Celtic), Thornton (Sunderland), Reid (Nottingham Forest); Barrett (Coventry City), O'Flynn (Cork City). Subs: Elliott (Manchester City) for Butler (67 mins), Hoolahan (Shelbourne) for Thornton (83 mins), Ward (Wolves) for Reid (90 mins).

GERMANY: Starke; Preuss, Lapaczinski, Schlicke; Kringe, Feulner, Tiffert, Balitsch, Hitzlsberger, Azaouagh; Auer. Subs: Burkhardt for Kringe (half time), Gemiti for Feulner (half time), Franz for Azaouagh (65 mins), Madlung for Lapaczinski (82 mins).

Referee: Jonas Eriksson (Sweden)