Soccer Digest

Defeat for Irish:Two second-half goals undid the Republic of Ireland's Under-17 team at Tolka Park last night as Italy won the second of this week's international friendly games. The Republic defeated Italy 1-0 on Tuesday and manager Sean McCaffrey made six changes for the rematch.

Italy took the lead on 49 minutes through Salvatore Caturano when - after seeing his first shot brilliantly saved by Irish goalkeeper David McGuire - the striker blasted home the rebound from 12 yards. The visitors doubled their advantage on 66 minutes. Martin Fernando's free-kick from the left went through a clutch of defenders and past substitute goalkeeper Mark McGinley into the far corner of the net.

IRELAND: D McGuire (Shrewsbury Town), M Nolan (Glasgow Celtic), N McArdle (Sunderland), P Honohan (Wilton), C Kavanagh (Blackburn Rovers), K Byrne (Norwich City), C McCormack (Manchester United), J O'Brien (Birmingham City), J Cronesberry (Middlesborough), I Daly (Manchester City), S Scannell (Crystal Palace). Subs: S O'Connor ( Liverpool), E Foley (Glasgow Celtic), G Matthews (Norwich City) for Kavanagh, Cronesberry and Byrne (all half-time). J O'Neill (Home Farm) for O'Brien (60 mins). M McGinley (Glenree) and C Duggan (Kilreen Celtic) for Maguire and Scannell (64 mins). I Byrne (Bohemians) for Daly (75 mins).

ITALY: Fiorillo, Buono (Colombo 62 mins), Albertazzi, Tuia, Rigoni (Grea 48 mins), Marco, Caturano (Ciano 72 mins), Nitride (Pasquale 48 mins), Fernando, Masi, Zamblera (Paloschi half-time).

Referee: Neil Doyle

O'Neill wage scheme

Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill is to sit down with the clubs new owner, Randy Lerner, and implement an incentive-based wage structure this summer. "I've had a vision," Villa's manager said yesterday when he introduced his two attacking signings, Ashley Young and John Carew, to the media. "I'm not quite sure of all the details yet but I'll sort it out with the chairman in the summer when we'll take the opportunity to renegotiate the contracts of existing players."

That will be welcome news to Villa's squad, many of whom are on low wages by Premiership standards and have been perturbed at reports that Young, bought from Watford for an initial £8 million which may rise to £9.6 million with appearances, and John Carew, valued at £4.3 million but acquired in a straight swap whereby Milan Baros joined Lyons, have been offered contracts that break the previous salary structure.

"The sums being mentioned are vastly exaggerated," said O'Neill, denying that Carew was on £57,000 a week. "But to compete I need to be able to both get and keep the best players, which is why I'd like to introduce some sort of reward stucture for players whodo well."

Tottenham get bye

Tottenham moved a step closer to this year's Uefa Cup final in Glasgow following the decision to give them a bye into the last 16 of the competition. Spurs were due to play Feyenoord on February 15th but the Dutch club were kicked out of the tournament following crowd trouble earlier in the season against French side Nancy.

Subject to a possible appeal by Feyenoord to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Martin Jol's men will now face Braga or Parma for a place in the quarter-finals of Europe's second-tier competition.

Celtic sign defender

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan completed his third signing of the January transfer window by recruiting defender Jean-Joel Perrier-Doumbe from Rennes. The 28-year-old joined the Hoops until the end of the season with the Parkhead club then having the option to sign him for a further two years.

Goalkeeper Mark Brown was signed from Inverness Caledonian Thistle last Thursday to become back-up to Artur Boruc and Steven Pressley, who was registered as a Celtic player on January 1st despite arriving from Hearts in December.

In brief. . .

Sunderland skipper Steve Caldwell has been given permission to talk to rivals Burnley following the collapse of talks over a new deal . . . Blackburn have completed the signing of DR Congo international defender Christopher Samba from Hertha Berlin . . . Middlesbrough have released Ray Parlour (33) from his contract. The former Arsenal defender IS planning to return to his old club to train in an effort to regain his fitness after injury. Team-mate Ugo Ehiogu was also released and is set to join Rangers . . . Stoke have signed Manchester United winger Lee Martin on loan until the end of the season