Brian Kerr's latest batch of under-16s couldn't recapture Tuesday's form and failed to impress in a dreadfully poor scoreless draw with Belgium at Tolka Park last night.
Ireland, who retained just three of the starting 11 from the previous night's 3-1 win over the same opposition in Drogheda, enjoyed plenty of possession in the first-half but were restricted to just one early chance, Anthony O'Shea having his shot pushed wide.
In an awful second-half, Belgium substitute Mikael Yourassowsky was brilliantly played through by his captain Peter Goovaerts and might have given his side the lead in the 62nd minute, but, having rounded Irish keeper Wayne Henderson, his weak shot on goal was easily cleared by Stephen Kelly.
Ireland were poor going forward and had to rely on two late corners to trouble the Belgian defence.
Republic of Ireland: B Murphy (Waterford Bohemians); Capper (Sunderland), Rossiter (Sunderland), Kelly (Belvedere Boys), Gartland (Home Farm); Snee (Tottenham Hotspur), Kilmartin (Celtic), Foley (Liverpool), Gilroy (Sligo Rovers); D Murphy (Celtic), O'Shea (Nottingham Forest). Subs: Henderson (Aston Villa) and Graydon (Sundreland) for B Murphy and D Murphy (both at half-time), Mooney (Belvedere Boys) and Fahey (Arsenal) for O'Shea and Gilroy (both 56 mins), Nash (Home Farm) for Capper (64 mins), Fenton (Nottingham Forest) for Fahey (80 mins).
Belgium: Molenberghs; Szczezak, Asselborn, Colinet, Van Dooren; Gerits, Goovaerts, Caramazza, Vitelli; Janssens, Gregoire. Subs: Hillen for Gregoire (50 mins), Mampuya for Gerits (58 mins), Yourassowsky for Caramazza (60 mins).
Refereee: P McKeon (Dublin).
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