Ireland gave themselves every chance of progressing through to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Under-16 Championships in Scotland last night with a controlled and skilful display to comfortably beat Finland in their second group match at Forthbank Stadium, Stirling, to go to the top of Group C.
Team manger Brian Kerr was conscious of the need to score goals after the disappointing 0-0 draw with Scotland in Sunday's opening game and his team put that right almost from the start.
The change to a 4-4-2 formation also appeared to give the side a better shape and they took a grip on the game from the start against a Finnish side that didn't seem to know what hit them.
Graham Barrett's introduction brought pace and guile to the two-man attack and he forced the Finnish goalkeeper, Kim Ekroos, into an early save from a dangerous cross in only the second minute. Scarcely had Finland recovered when they found themselves behind two minutes later.
A sustained Irish attack began with David McMahon heading a Brendan McGill cross off a post. The ball was cleared, but only as far as Irish captain, Shaun Byrne. He fired in a shot which was stopped on the line by a defender only for Andrew Reid to find himself perfectly placed to shoot home from just yards out.
Keith Foy, who curled a shot narrowly wide within a further two minutes, and Byrne, who blazed over the top after Barrett had an effort blocked, in the 12th minute, came very close to increasing the Irish lead before the Finns seemed to get back into the game.
They forced a few corners and Ossi Martikainen shot wide from long range. But their recovery of sorts was stopped firmly in its tracks with Ireland's second goal on 24 minutes.
McMahon should have done better three minutes earlier when he cleverly skipped past a defender only to hurry his shot from distance straight into the grateful arms of Ekroos.
However, there was no expediency about Barrett's goal when it arrived soon afterwards. McGill, clever and quick, played the Arsenal striker in through the middle, and Barrett calmly drew Ekroos and delightfully clipped the ball over him and into the net.
The pattern of the game was not unsurprisingly repeated well into the second half with Ireland well in control.
Byrne, with a 20 yard drive on 50 minutes; central defender Jim Goodwin who headed wide two minutes later and a long-range shot from Liam Miller all came close to adding further gloss to Ireland display.
Finland rarely threatened but when they did get an effort on target on 75 minutes Ireland goalkeeper, Joseph Murphy, who had had little to do before that, made a wonderful save to turn away Mikael Forssell's shot.
Scotland came from behind to draw 1-1 with Spain in the other Group C match last night, which means at least draw with Spain in tomorrow's final group match will put Ireland through to the quarter-finals.
Republic Of Ireland: Murphy (Tranmere Rovers); Rossiter (Galway United), Goodwin (Celtic), O'Shea (Waterford Bohemians), Foy (Nottingham Forest); McGill (Rivervalley Rangers), S Byrne (West Ham United), Miller (Celtic), Reid (Nottingham Forest); Barrett (Arsenal), McMahon (Newcastle United). Subs: D Byrne (Home Farm) for Barrett (67 mins.), Warren (Mayfield) for Reid (78 mnins.).
Finland: Ekroos (Strasbourg); Partty (TPS Turku), Luoma (TPV Tampere), Kunnas (HJK Helsinki), Martikainen (HJK Helsinki); Okkonen (OLS Oulu), Verno (HJK Helsinki), Niskala (IFK Norrkoping), Jatkola (FC Santa Claus (sic), Haarala (HJK Helsinki); Forssell (HJK Helsinki). Sub: Poulsen (HJK Helsinki) for Jatkola (half-time).
Referee: M Benes (Czech Republic).
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