U17s lose 3-0 in Greece

**gspain** · 19/03/2010, 1:05 PM

Our U17s lost 3-0 to Greece in the opening game of the elite round.

**Predator** · 19/03/2010, 4:37 PM

From the FAI website

Match squad:
Republic of Ireland: Sean McDermott (Arsenal); Derrick Williams (Aston Villa), Sean McGinty (Manchester United), Richard Bryan (Aston Villa), Michael Barker (Belvedere); George Smith (Southend United), Carl McHugh (Reading), Shane Byrne (Leicester City), Kevin Knight (Leicester City); David Murphy (Reading), Daniel Purdy (West Ham United).
Subs: Frankie Sutherland (QPR) for McHugh, Anton Rodgers (Chelsea) for Smith (both h/t), Aiden O'Brien (Millwall) for Murphy (62 mins)

Manager Sean McCaffrey said:
"Today's performance was disappointing. We played poorly and with little energy. Despite loads of effort and industry, we lacked sparkle. I think the heat might have been a factor in the defeat and Greece were strong after gelling together as a team over the past month. It was our worst performance this season, I know we can do better. The players have what it takes and are good enough to do better in the next two matches. There is still a lot of football to be played over the coming days and we have to focus on the next game and look towards beating Finland on Sunday."

http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=c...id=6&Itemid=17

**yapster** · 19/03/2010, 8:21 PM

Using the heat excuse is silly because Greece at this time of year is not that hot. And IF is was then why didn't McCaffrey prepare for it it?

**Razors left peg** · 19/03/2010, 8:51 PM

Originally Posted by yapster

Using the heat excuse is silly because Greece at this time of year is not that hot. And IF is was then why didn't McCaffrey prepare for it it?

totally right.... the team should have been training in saunas for the last 2 months.

**SkStu** · 19/03/2010, 8:56 PM

not to mention at least one further month of sunbeds.

**yapster** · 19/03/2010, 9:11 PM

There are ways to prepare fot it, adequate hydration & diet for example. He also said that despite loads of energy and industry we lacked sparkle, wtf is he on about the heat then?

**gilberto_eire** · 20/03/2010, 4:02 PM

Give over..... it's got to the point where i think your just a pure WUM, always have something negative to say

**yapster** · 20/03/2010, 7:12 PM

Originally Posted by gilberto_eire

Give over..... it's got to the point where i think your just a pure WUM, always have something negative to say

No.. I am just pointing out something that is just redundant, it's like the England side always using the same excuse when they get beaten. I really hope the U18s win the whole thing outright.

**Charlie Darwin** · 20/03/2010, 8:21 PM

Originally Posted by yapster

There are ways to prepare fot it, adequate hydration & diet for example. He also said that despite loads of energy and industry we lacked sparkle, wtf is he on about the heat then?

Probably saps your mental energy as much as your physical energy. You see loads of teams running around like terriers and trying things but don't have the concentration to pull them off successfully. Heat could definitely be a factor against you pulling off the things you try to do.

**HarpoJoyce** · 21/03/2010, 12:42 PM

Austria nd Finland drew the other game

This morning Greece got an injury time penalty (80 minute match) and equalised against Austria. This draw kinda helps a runners-up spot.

Finland - rep. of Ireland on at the minute in the Pampeloponnisiako Stadium that was used as a venue for the 2004 Olympic Games.
http://www.uefa.com/under17/matches/...ght/index.html

**Nagger** · 21/03/2010, 1:09 PM

Originally Posted by HarpoJoyce

Austria nd Finland drew the other game

This morning Greece got an injury time penalty (80 minute match) and equalised against Austria. This draw kinda helps a runners-up spot.

Finland - rep. of Ireland on at the minute in the Pampeloponnisiako Stadium that was used as a venue for the 2004 Olympic Games.
http://www.uefa.com/under17/matches/...ght/index.html

Love the name of that Finish left back

**tetsujin1979** · 21/03/2010, 1:18 PM

Ireland 1-0 after 54 minutes, Kevin Knight with the goal

**HarpoJoyce** · 21/03/2010, 1:25 PM

Just noticed the Patrick O'Shaughnessy at no.2. He played all of the 3-3 with Austria.

**gspain** · 21/03/2010, 1:41 PM

We won 1-0 still have a chance to win the group need to beat Austria and hope Finland get a result v Greece.

Best Runners up is unlikely due to our 3-0 defeat v Greece.

**greendeiseboy** · 21/03/2010, 1:46 PM

Originally Posted by HarpoJoyce

Just noticed the Patrick O'Shaughnessy at no.2. He played all of the 3-3 with Austria.

His brother Daniel also plays for them ....anyone know anything about them i.e. Irish connections etc - just out of interest

**HarpoJoyce** · 21/03/2010, 1:50 PM

Originally Posted by gspain

We won 1-0 still have a chance to win the group need to beat Austria and hope Finland get a result v Greece.

Best Runners up is unlikely due to our 3-0 defeat v Greece.

I have a problem understanding the qualification to the Play-Off round.

There are only seven groups in the Elite Phase
http://www.uefa.com/under17/standings/index.html

So surely all Winners and all Runners-up can qualify from the seven groups.
The 14 teams are paired off in the in the Play-Off round and the seven winners join hosts Denmark in the Finals.

I understand UEFA mentions 10 groups but they also mention 1st, 3rd, 4th and 5th placings, which reads as a standard text to explain the criteria.

**gspain** · 21/03/2010, 5:52 PM

Originally Posted by HarpoJoyce

I have a problem understanding the qualification to the Play-Off round.

There are only seven groups in the Elite Phase
http://www.uefa.com/under17/standings/index.html

So surely all Winners and all Runners-up can qualify from the seven groups.
The 14 teams are paired off in the in the Play-Off round and the seven winners join hosts Denmark in the Finals.

I understand UEFA mentions 10 groups but they also mention 1st, 3rd, 4th and 5th placings, which reads as a standard text to explain the criteria.

The blurb refers to the U21 championship which Denamrk will host in 2011. We won't be worrying about that.

There are only 8 teams in the U17 finals in Liechtenstein in May. The host recently withdrew so the 7 group winners and the best runner up (results against 1st and 3rd teams I believe) will
qualify. As we lost 3-0 the best we can have as a runner up is 3 points and most likely a negative gd. So we need to beat Austria and hope Finland get something from Greece then we are in the finals.

**HarpoJoyce** · 21/03/2010, 7:34 PM

Originally Posted by greendeiseboy

His brother Daniel also plays for them ....anyone know anything about them i.e. Irish connections etc - just out of interest

Don't mind about his brother....... would Patrick have a sister?

**Serb** · 22/03/2010, 2:03 PM

Interesting about the O'Shaughnessy brothers playing for Finland. There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of information about them online. They both play for HJK Helsinki as far as I can tell, the only other thing I could unearth is some Finnish guy talking about Patrick O'Shaughnessy's name:

As the names might tell, Finland is finally a multicultural country and having an exotic name, a slightly more tanned skin or parents from another world is hardly exotic anymore.

O'Shaughnessy is an exotic name apparently. Who knew?

**greendeiseboy** · 22/03/2010, 2:11 PM

Originally Posted by Serb

Interesting about the O'Shaughnessy brothers playing for Finland. There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of information about them online. They both play for HJK Helsinki as far as I can tell, the only other thing I could unearth is some Finnish guy talking about Patrick O'Shaughnessy's name:

O'Shaughnessy is an exotic name apparently. Who knew?

They must be part of the Montserrat diaspora then!!