Republic of Ireland 5-1 Iceland
The Republic of Ireland women’s under 19 side today (Monday) produced a remarkable performance in a 5-1 victory over Iceland in their final UEFA championship, first phase qualifier in Tel Aviv. Despite going a goal down after only eleven minutes, the Irish responded powerfully with Irish striking sensation, Amy Ryan bagging four goals.
Before today’s game, both sides had amassed maximum points from the previous fixtures against Greece and Israel and despite their passage to the next qualifying stage being guaranteed, both Iceland and Ireland were vying for top spot in the group and a possible seeded position for the elite qualifying phase.
Iceland started with real purpose as they put a sustained amount of pressure on the Irish defence and Niamh Reid Burke in goal. The Icelandic’s scored a deserved opener after eleven minutes when Iceland striker, Fridriksdottir collected a clever through ball in the Irish box and she slotted the ball underneath the diving Niamh Reid-Burke to claim her third goal of the tournament.
Iceland almost doubled their advantage two minutes later when Brynjarsdottir collected a loose ball in midfield, with Irish keeper, Reid-Burke off her line, the Icelandic struck an audacious effort from 35 yards but the keeper recovered well and palmed her effort onto the post and out for a corner.
Stella Maris striker, Amy Ryan leveled the game with 32 minutes on the clock. She chased down a long ball to the Icelandic box and as the Icelandic defence and goalkeeper hesitated she prodded the ball past the keeper and slid it to the back of the net from an almost impossible angle at the by-line.
Susan Ronan’s side struck again two minutes later, once again from the boot of Amy Ryan who was causing Iceland some real problems in defence. Gillian McDonnell and Ryan combined in a neat exchange in the box and Ryan was on hand to lift the ball over the onrushing Gisaldottir in Iceland’s goal from six yards out.
The Republic of Ireland came out after the half-time interval in inspired form, they scored their third on the hour mark with an effort straight from the training ground. Central defender, Louise Quinn took a free-kick from the half way line and picked out Donegal’s Zoe Doherty on the left wing who beat her marker and whipped in a cross from the by-line which was met by the foot of Amy Ryan who blasted it into the net from 10 yards to claim her hat-trick.
Dundalk’s Gillian McDonnell made it 4-1 after 67 minutes when the ever-dangerous Julieanne Russell sprayed the ball across the field to McDonnell on the right who raced towards the box and unleashed a powerful strike from 25 yards out which the keeper parried into the back of the net.
The Irish wrapped up the scoring after 74 minutes when Russell again darted down the left wing, beating two defenders with her clever footwork, as she reached the touchline she produced a pin-point cross to Amy Ryan in the box who got down low to finish off the move with a diving header from ten yards out, giving the keeper no chance.
Irish manager, Susan Ronan was understandably delighted with her team’s performance, “First of all, the way in which the team responded to being behind was immense and I couldn’t have asked for anymore from them in the past week. The big name players who have been in the squad since last year really stepped up to be counted for. There was no single player that you could pick out and say that they were the star performer. The team as a whole were amazing, they have really gelled over the past number of weeks and I don’t think that they will fear anybody in the elite qualifying phase if we go on and actually improve on these three performances.”
The Irish now advance to the UEFA Championship, elite qualifying phase for the eighth time in nine years after successive victories over Greece, Israel and Iceland. The Irish will now have to wait until December to learn who their opponents will be in for the final hurdle of qualification to the UEFA Championship finals in Belarus in 2009.
UEFA Women’s Under 19 Championship 1st qualifying phase results
Wednesday, 24th September
Republic of Ireland 3-0 Greece
Friday, 26th September
Republic of Ireland 3-0 Israel
Monday, 29th September
Republic of Ireland 5-1 Iceland
Republic of Ireland
Niamh Reid Burke - Raheny United
Eilish Ward - Finnvalley
Karen Duggan - Piltown
Louise Quinn - Peamount
Zoe Murphy - Ballincollig
Zoe Doherty – Cardonagh
Julieanne Russell - Salthill Devon
Niamh Mulcahy - Aisling Annacotty
Gillian McDonnell - Dundalk City WFC
Amy Ryan - Stella Maris
Emer Flately – Salthill Devon
Substitutes
Olivia Lyons - Lakewood Athletic
Sinead Crotty - Connecticut
Amanda Parkes - Wilton Utd.
Jadine Madden - Arsenal FC (on for Doherty, 65 mins)
Catherine Cronin - Aisling Annacotty (on for Russell, 76 mins)
Kirsty Keogh - Stella Maris
Ericka O’Sullivan - Wilton Utd. (on for Flatley, 38 mins)
Manager
Susan Ronan |
