Keogh quick to retort with fast finish

UEFA UNDER-21 CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFYING: Rep of Ireland 1 Montenegro 1:  AS THE Irish football story enters an interesting new chapter a curious crowd gathered in Terryland Park to witness how this Uefa under-21 qualifier would unfold.

With group leaders England scorching clear the Republic of Ireland won't advance to the finals, but the players who trotted on to the Galway sod were eager to impress. Liam Brady was monitoring proceedings on behalf of Giovanni Trapattoni, who has stated his desire to bring four youngsters on the Algarve training trip ensuring this tussle wasn't short on relevance.

Unsurprisingly there was a pleasing dash to some of Ireland's first-half display. Midfielders Darren Gibson, Stephen Quinn, and John Joe O'Toole worked diligently, while also showing a neat passing range as Ireland contributed to a reasonable opening period.

Twelve minutes in Gibson drilled a pass to centre forward Andy Keogh, who wriggled clear before smashing a shot wide. Despite the early pressure Montenegro fashioned an opportunity themselves moments later.

Marko Cetkovic's smashing cross located Slobadan Lakicevic, who struck the timberwork with a venomous drive. Gibson hacked the ball to safety.

At the interval Don Givens introduced Seán Scannell and the Crystal Palace player showed some clever touches wide on the right.

Ireland, though, weren't able to replicate their early enterprise, and Montenegro pilfered the lead goal in the 68th minute. Playmaker Marko Cetovic slung a precise corner into a densely populated area and Mijusko Bojovic climbed highest to thunder a header past Shane Supple.

The Irish reply was brisk and parity was restored within five minutes as Andy Keogh provided a fitting finish after Bohemians' left-full back Conor Powell did the spadework.

Meanwhile, Ireland's Group Three rivals England played out a scoreless draw with Poland in an under-21 friendly international played at Wolves's Molineux last night.

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND:Supple (Falkirk); Nolan (Blackburn Rovers), O'Cearuill (St Patrick's Athletic), O'Dea (Glasgow Celtic), Powell (Bohemians); Gibson (Wolverhampton Wanderers), O'Toole (Watford), Quinn (Sheffield United); Stokes (Sunderland), Keogh (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Clarke (Ipswich Town). Subs: Scannell (Crystal Palace) for Clarke (46 mins), Best (Coventry City) for O'Toole (64 mins)

MONTENEGRO:Janusevic; Zverotic, Bojovic, Novakovic, Lakicevic; Boskovic (Vukcevic, 77), Markovic, Delic (Brnovic, 89), Cetkovic; Stjepanovic (Spasojevic, 90), Vujovic.

Referee:Yuriy Moseychuk (Ukraine).