Republic of Ireland 5 Lithuania 0
Newly appointed Ireland manager, John Morling, ensured that he started his regime on a positive note when his side easily accounted Lithuania at Leah Victoria Park, home of Tullamore Town FC in the on the opening day of the FAI U15 International Midlands Tournament.
In the earlier game, Belgium and Latvia produced an exciting finale as the match finished 4-3 to Belgium.
Mullingar local Kealan Dillon bagged a hat-trick for Ireland and he was in superb form early on, scoring two goals in the first four minutes as the Lithuania defence struggled to deal with the pace of the game.
Ireland's first goal arrived with only two minutes on the clock. Kealan Dillon picked up the ball in the middle of the park and he burst through Lithuania's midfield and spotted goalkeeper, Skarupskas, off his line. The Belvedere playmaker applied a neat lob from 20 yards out and it nestled in the bottom left hand corner, giving the keeper no chance.
Dillon doubled his tally two minutes later. The Irish were awarded a free-kick from 25 yards out on the right-hand side and Dillon struck an in-swinging free-kick down the keeper's neck as he fumbled in into the back of the net.
The Irish increased their lead further through Michael Drennan after 23 minutes in a superb passage of play. As Lithuania pressed forward inside Ireland's half, the Irish defence snuffed the attacking play out and played a long ball forward towards Drennan who raced towards the on-rushing keeper and slotted the ball under his body from 15 yards out.
Just before half-time, Ireland made it four. Right-back, Eoin Hyland made a darting run up the right-hand wing, he went by the full back and squared the ball to Michael Hyland in the six yard box who made no mistake with his finish as he blasted in.
Kealan Dillon claimed his hat-trick after 50 minutes in spectacular fashion. He picked the ball up in midfield and burst forward. With no Lithuanian defenders closing down the Mullingar youngster, he powered his effort from 25 yards into the top hand corner of the net.
Republic of Ireland: Joseph Coll, Eoin Hyland, Shane Griffin, Luke Gallagher, Jamie Smith (C), Michael Hyland, Brandon Miele, Darren O’Donoghue, Michael Drennan, Kealan Dillon, Jamie McGlynn
Substitutes (all Used): Noe Baba, Drew Armstrong, Jason Keane, Adam Evans, Ian Lawlor, Robert Lehane, Carel Tiofack
Midlands International Tournament Results & Fixtures
Tuesday, February 10 (At Leah Victoria Park, Tullamore)
Latvia 3-4 Belgium (17.00 hrs)
Republic of Ireland 5-0 Lithuania (19.00 hrs)
Wednesday, February 11 (At Mullingar Athletic FC)
Belgium v Lithuania (15.00 hrs)
Republic of Ireland v Latvia (17.00 hrs)
Friday, February 13 (At Lissywoolen Stadium, Athlone)
Lithuania v Latvia (10.00 hrs)
Republic of Ireland v Belgium (12.00 hrs). |
