UEFA UNDER-19 CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFYING Belgium 1 Republic of Ireland 0: QUALIFICATION FOR the Uefa Under-19 championship is out of the Republic of Ireland's hands following a controversial defeat by elite-round hosts Belgium in Tongeren last night.

A double blow to the Irish in the 36th minute gave them a mountain to climb. The first blow was Conor Hourihane being incorrectly flagged offside before he crossed for Ronan Murray to find the net and the goal was disallowed.

While the Irish were still cursing their misfortune, Belgium broke and Lille star Eden Hazard produced a drive from outside the box to find the bottom corner of the Irish net.

Conor Clifford produced the game’s first attempt on goal when he fired wide from just outside the box less than two minutes in.

Belgium’s Jeroen Appeltans had two efforts wide as the half progressed while Hazard blasted over in the 18th minute. Nil de Pauw should have opened the scoring on the half hour but headed against an upright from close range after connecting with a Hazard free-kick.

The Irish worked hard but created little after the break. They will meet Switzerland – who won 3-1 against Sweden – in their second game at the same venue tomorrow night.

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Thorp(Crystal Palace); Oyebanjo(Histon), O'Connor(Blackburn), Gunning(Blackburn), Morris(Newcastle Utd), Morrissey(Blackburn), Hourihane(Sunderland), Clifford(Chelsea), Murray(Ipswich), Collins(Aston Villa), Cunningham(Man City). Subs: Henderson(Arsenal) for Murray (46 mins), Scannell(Crystal Palace) for Cunningham (46 mins), Towell(Celtic) for Hourihane (66 mins).

BELGIUM: Coppens; Daeseleire, Boyata, Kocabas, Durwael, Phiri, Francois, Appeltans, De Pauw, Hazard, Bourdouxhe. Subs: Kis for Appeltans (80 mins), Buyse for Bourdouxhe (80 mins).

Referee: A Kulbakov(Belarus).