Video
Details
| Date | Time | League | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 September 2022 | 7:00 pm | U21 International | 2022/23 |
Match Report
Ireland held at home in U21 first leg play-off
The Republic of Ireland were held to a frustrating, niggly & frenzied 1-1 draw, at Tallaght in the first leg of their Euro 2023 play-off against Israel.
Jim Crawford’s squad entered this play off tie seeking to make history by becoming the first U21's team to qualify for a major tournament.
If there was internal pressure, it didn’t immediately surface. Senior man, Aaron Connolly, had two decent chances early on.
First, Israel goalkeeper, Daniel Peretz diverted his shot onto the post before the former Seagulls striker fizzed a shot just past the post.
Mohammed Kanann called Brian Maher into action just before half time but the Derry shotstopper will not want to watch back the last play of the half.
Osher Davida swung a corner, Maher came out, found himself stranded & Idan Gorno had a gloriously free header, which he gleefully headed home.
That cheap concession was a sucker-punch for Ireland, yet they roused themselves. Tyreik Wright, particularly, kept his tempo high & from his own wicked delivery, Ireland equalised.
Wright swung in a wonderful corner kick & Evan Ferguson, only 17 years old, bulldozed Eiran Cashin, his own teammate, aside to thump an unstoppable header into the net.
The momentum had swung Ireland’s way & Israel were reduced to ten men with ten minutes to play. Defender Stav Lemkin was controversially sent off for hacking down a roving Connolly, he’ll be suspended for Tuesday’s second leg as a result.
If anything, Lemkin’s dismissal blunted the hosts as Israel sat back, absorbed pressure & expertly rode out, what admittedly, wasn’t much of an Irish storm.
Festy Ebosele impressed in a cameo after replacing Wright but Connolly & co didn’t exactly pepper Peretz in the closing stages.
So, mixed feelings for the boys in green. They came from behind to salvage something but with the manner of Maher’s error, they should have been the ones leading the match.
The second leg is on Tuesday night, in Tel Aviv. Join us on FinalWhistle that night as we report on what will either be historic happiness or heartbreak, tinged with rueful regret, from this first leg.
Timeline
| 45' | 9. Idan Gorno | |
| 5. Eiran Cashin | 49' | |
| 61' | Roi Herman Karm Jaber | |
| 61' | Mohammad Kanaan Hisham Layous | |
| 4. Joe Redmond | 65' | |
| 20. Evan Ferguson | 65' | |
| Joe Hodge Dawson Devoy | 73' | |
| 15. Aaron Connolly | 75' | |
| Evan Ferguson Ademipo Odubeko | 79' | |
| 79' | Osher Davida Zohar Zasno | |
| 79' | El Yam Kancepolsky Yoav Hofmeister | |
| 80' | 20. Stav Lemkin | |
| Tyreik Wright Festy Ebosele | 83' | |
| 83' | Idan Gorno Noam Gil Melamud | |
| 28. Dawson Devoy | 87' |
Past Meetings
 
0 - 2UEFA Women's EURO Qualification
Israel v Republic of Ireland |
2 - 0UEFA Women's EURO Qualification
Tallaght Stadium Republic of Ireland v Israel |
3 - 0Women's World Cup Qualification
Carlisle Grounds Republic of Ireland v Israel |
0 - 3Women's World Cup Qualification
Ness Ziona Stadium Israel v Republic of Ireland |
Ground
| Tallaght Stadium |
|---|
| Tallaght Stadium, Whitestown Way, Tallaght, Dublin 24, D24 XC9W |
Rory Morrow
QUB Student, passion for Sports Journalism Editor @ The Gown QUB Newspaper Reporter for @ FinalWhistle
FULL TIME: 1-1 it ends! Frustrating but perhaps, on reflection, fair!
FOUR MINUTES ADDED TIME
Devoy booked, Israel are frustrating Ireland very expertly late on
Israel down to ten! It's a straight red for defender Sar Lemkin for hauling down Connolly. Controversial but what a chance Ireland now have!
Another double change for the away side: Oshar Dovida, goes off. For Ireland, Ademipo Omubeko replaces the spent Ferguson
Connolly carded for a soft foul, Israel stalling Ireland's momentum a bit here
Dawson Devoy enters the fray for Ireland- debutant Hodge who has done very well, makes way
In the aftermath, Redmond was booked, Ireland in the ascendancy now however!
EQUALISER: Evan Ferguson with a fine thumping header from Wright's wicked corner! Ireland level & deservedly so! Tallaght is bouncing!
CHANCE: Smallbone delivers a free kick & Cashin again wins a thumping header, this one drifts wide but had Peretz scrambling!
Peretz claims a corner convincingly & Israel then make a double change, the flitting Herman has departed
CHANCE: Wright again involved as he wins it back, frees Smallbone who somewhat rushes his cross & Connolly's header is more difficult to aim, it drifts well wide, but encouraging response for the boys in green!
CHANCE: Better from Ireland. Tyreik Wright cleverly wins a free kick, delivers a beaut & Cashin floats a header just too high!
Cashin tugs back goalscorer Gorno in as blatant a foul as you'll see, frustrating start to the half for the hosts
SECOND HALF UNDERWAY: Can Ireland put that setback behind them?
HALF TIME: That was the last action, sucker-punch for Ireland
GOAL: Disaster! Kanann wins a corner, Maher is uncharisteristically unvocal & Idun Gorno has a free header! What a cheap concession that was well-taken! 1-0 to Israel
CHANCE: Now Maher is tested as Mohammed Kanann's free kick is thumped in with venom- Maher parries it well
CHANCE: Smallbone drives a fierce volley straight at Peretz who reacts sharply to bat it over!
Five minutes to half-time, Tallaght is very tense
Israel's turn to apply pressure, but bar a cross tipped over by Brian Maher, Ireland's defence is standing up to the challenge & has an outlet as Ferguson wins a foul on halfway
BLOCK: Eiran Cashin makes a super, last-gasp block just as Israel's Oscar Gluokh was shaping to shoot
CHANCE: Connolly goes close again! He traps Lee O'Connor's cross with a steady first touch before unleashing a low drive that flashes just wide! Dare I say it, Ireland are on top at the moment!
OFF THE POST: Coventry slips in Connolly & the striker's shot is sneaking in until Israel goalkeeper Daniel Peretz gets a crucial fingertip which diverts it onto the post
COVENTRY: The captain, Conor Coventry, setting the tempo in midfield with some typically industrious interceptions early on here- his class is evident
It's been a cagey opening ten minutes, Ireland now with the ball & starting to sustain possession
Israel are bossing territory at the moment but any threat is being quelled by the Irish back three- Jake O'Brien, in particular, has started well
KICK OFF: Underway, can Ireland begin this playoff tie with a win?
Ireland arrives onto the pitch to a cheering, if nervous, Tallaght crowd
TEN MINUTES TO KICK OFF
Joe Redmond & Joe Hodge are making their DEBUTS tonight- big call from Crawford- they look delighted warming up!
JUST UNDER HALF AN HOUR TO KICK OFF
TEAM NEWS: Jim Crawford gives Aaron Connolly a start- he's up front with Evan Ferguson, his former Brighton teammate. Derry's Brian Maher & St Pat's Joe Redmond are some of the squad's LOI representation
WELCMOME: Good evening & welcome to what could be the start of a historic moment in Irish football. Tonight, is the first leg of their Euros2023 playoff against Israel, it's at Tallaght Stadium, my name's Rory Morrow & kick off is at 7pm