UEFA UNDER-21 CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFYING/Rep of Ireland 2 Leichtenstein 0:THE REPUBLIC of Ireland easily accounted for Liechtenstein last night at the Showgrounds in Sligo to move to within three points of the pacesetters in their European Championship qualification group.
Noel King’s side made light work of the group’s bottom seeds on a night Manchester United teenager Robbie Brady once again stole the show.
Ireland now have an eight month break from competitive action until next summer when they host joint-leaders Italy and Turkey in the space of two months.
King’s decision to stick with the same starting line-up which beat Liechtenstein 4-1 on their travels was certainly vindicated as Ireland were utterly dominant throughout.
Within 12 seconds, the visitors’ defence was exposed and only a late intervention by defender Fabian Eberle prevented Conor Clifford tapping the ball home from close range.
The dominance was too much for Liechtenstein to handle and Olcay Gür was penalised for dragging James Collins to the ground on 13 minutes as the pair challenged for an Aidan White cross. Up stepped Hull City loanee Robbie Brady to send Dario Caluori the wrong way with his spot-kick.
The Irish sensed more goals and continued to press home their territorial advantage.
Eight minutes before the break, Brady embarked on a mazy dribble through the middle before setting up winger White to score his first international goal.
Liechtenstein hadn’t mustered even a shot on goal in that opening half and the one-way traffic was maintained by Ireland following the turnaround.
Senior cap Greg Cunningham scuffed his shot wide on the hour before Adam Barton was similarly wasteful with an effort he sent a yard off-target.
It mattered little as Ireland continued in cruise control to claim their third win from four qualifiers so far.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: McLoughlin (MK Dons); Connolly (Bolton Wanderers), Duffy (Scunthorpe), Kiernan (Wigan Athletic, capt), Cunningham (Manchester City); Towell (Hibernian), Clifford (Yeovil Town), Barton (Preston North End); Brady (Hull City), Collins (Shrewsbury Town), White (Leeds Utd). Subs: Sheppard (Shamrock Rovers) for Collins (72 mins), Hendrick (Derby County) for Barton (81 mins), Greene (Sligo Rovers) for Clifford (86 mins). Subs not used: McCarey (Wolves), Oyebanjo (York City), Kearns (Peterborough United), Gunning (Dundee United), Booked: Clifford (31 mins), Collins (39 mins).
LIECHTENSTEIN: Caluori; Hanselmann, Gur, Flatz, F Eberle; Kieber, L Eberle, Ospelt, Hasler; Wieser, Pirker. Sub: Brandle for Ospelt (86 mins). Booked: Gür 13, Hanselmann 26.
Referee: Edvin Hoxha (ALB)
