Under 21's

[Ozymandias]

One down at half time

apparently doing well a though and should have scored one or two

[Bowsy]

2-0 down now!

[Bowsy]

Elliott as pulled one back.

[ger121]

2-2 now Fitzgerald with one in the last minute

[adamcarr]

2-2 FT
Nice Comeback! :)

[Éanna]

well done to them. good result. aertel says the unbeaten run is now 10 games, but one of the papers had it as 11 earlier (i.e. 12 now) anyone know which it is?

[Éanna]

Match report from FAI site (http://www.fai.ie)

Fitzgerald saves Ireland Under 21s - 27 April 2004


A last minute goal by John Fitzgerald earned the Republic of Ireland Under 21s a 2-2 draw with Poland in Grudziadz on Tuesday evening.

Poland U21 2-2 Republic of Ireland U21
Pawel Brozek 21 Elliott 66
Piotr Brozek 53 Fitzgerald 90

Fitzgerald slotted home from close range in the last minute of normal time to make it ten games unbeaten for Ireland and ensure an unlikely come back after twins Pawel and Piotr Brozek had given Poland a 2-0 lead.

But a Stephen Elliott goal with 24 minutes remaining gave Ireland a life line before Fitzgerald lashed home the equaliser right at the death.

The draw was well undeserved. Ireland dominated most of the game, having two shots cleared off the line and going close on several other occasions while playing some excellent football, though manager Don Givens will be disappointed that sloppy defending led to both Poland goals.

After a sluggish start, Ireland found their rhythm with Elliott and Willo Flood were both caught out by the Poland offside trap after good build-up play for Ireland, but in the 12th minute a Glenn Whelan broke though the home side's rear guard onto a Elliott pass only for captain Antoni Lukasiewicz to make a timely intervention.

However, Poland's physical approach was causing Ireland problems and Szalackowski headed over from a long throw in the 17th minute while Ireland lost left back Stephen Capper at the same time with a hand injury.

Poland take the lead

Sean Dillon came on for his debut in his place, though he had barely entered the fray as Ireland reorganised when Poland took the lead.

A long ball into the channel by Lukasiewicz caught out Paddy McCarthy with striker Pawel Brozek racing through before hammering his left foot shot home through Henderson's legs from a tight angle.

Ireland refused to panic over the early set back and for the remainder of the half, they took total control of the game, with midfielders Whelan, Darren Potter and Sean Thornton dictating affairs from the centre circle.

Ireland began to turn the screw and were twice denied just after the half hour, firstly by a clearance off the line and then by a fine save by Radoslaw Cierzniak.

In the 33rd minute, the always dangerous Flood beat his man on the right and whipped over a dangerous cross which the keeper dropped though Thornton's follow-up was cleared off the line by Lukasiewicz.

And one minute later, Flood slipped Elliott through only for the goalkeeper to save well at his feet.

By now, Poland could hardly get out of their own half and there was time for Ireland to have one more chance when Thornton's corner was missed by the goalkeeper only for McCarthy to miss his header and captain Stephen Kelly lashed wide from the edge of the area.

Billy Mehmet was introduced for his debut at the start of the second half as Ireland started brightly once again, though Poland then hit Ireland with a sucker punch in the 53rd minute.

The goal was brilliantly worked as Pawel Brozek and Piotr Brozek playing a one-two on the edge of the area allowing Pawel Brozek to race to the by-line and slide the ball across the face of goal for his brother to slot home.

Once again, Ireland refused to panic and continued to play patient football believing that a break through would eventually happen. Most of Ireland's best moves were coming down the right through Flood and, in the 62nd minute, the winger brilliantly picked out the unmarked Potter at the far post only for the Liverpool man to see his shot flash across the face of goal.

In the 64th minute, Kelly had a header cleared off the line though Poland sent out a warning shot that Ireland would have to be on their toes defensively with Pawel Brozek testing Henderson with a shot from the half way line.

Elliott lifeline

Two minutes later, the goalkeeper made an even better save as he dived to deny Pawel Mielniczek from point blank range, but Ireland then immediately raced up the other end with Elliott pulling a goal back after racing onto Whelan's pass before coolly rounding the goalkeeper and slotting into the vacant net.

Bohemians Stephen Ward was introduced as the game entered the last quarter as Ireland looked for the equaliser though despite laying siege to the Poland goal, and deservedly got the equaliser in the 90th minute when Thornton's free kick picked out Fitzgerald headed across goal for Elliott whose shot was saved though Fitzgerald was on hand to tap home the equaliser.

Teams:
Poland: Cierzniak; Wojtkowiak, Kucharski, Lukasiewicz, Dudka; Strak; Szalachowski, Zganiacz, Piotr Brozek; Pawel Brozek, Gregorek.
Subs: Kieszek for Cierzniak (half time), Mielniczek for Gregorek (60 mins), Fonfara for Wojtkowiak (67 mins), Bolimowski for Pawel Brozek (71 mins), Juczkiewicz for Strak (77 mins), Kwiek for Szalachowski (82 mins), Balul for Dudka (87 mins).

Republic of Ireland: Henderson (Aston Villa); Kelly (Tottenham Hotspur), Fitzgerald (Blackburn Rovers), McCarthy (Manchester City), Capper (Scarborough); Potter (Liverpool), Whelan (Manchester City), Thornton (Sunderland); Flood (Manchester City), Elliott (Manchester City), Doyle (Cork City).
Subs: Dillon (Longford Town) for Capper (19 mins), Mehmet (Dunfermline Athletic) for Doyle (half time), Ward (Bohemians) for Potter (74 mins)

Referee: Zdzislaw Bakaluk (Poland).

[Éanna]

The draw was well undeserved.
:D :D :D

still. fair play to them for having the report up so soon.

[adamcarr]

Is this including the Albania game we won only to have the result changed to 0-3 for playing Liam Miller?

[1MickCollins]

Givens has done a good job, who would ever believe the U21s would ever go 10 matches unbeaten, of course he is the first full-time U21 coach and he obviously has good raw material coming thru from youth level. :)

[Maz]

well done to sean dillo to on his debut!! fair play!