The Republic of Ireland Under 19s came from behind to beat Switzerland 3-2 in an ill-tempered European qualifier at Richmond Park.
The result hardly mattered in the end as Englands 3-0 win over Slovenia at Dalymount meant that qualification for the Irish was impossible before the team even kicked off.
John Flood, Neil McCafferty and Will Flood grabbed the goals early in the second half to cancel out Johan Vonlanthens strike on the half-hour.
Three players in total were sent off as an awful pitch led to some careless tackling on both sides.
Irelands Glenn Whelan was the first to go, picking up a second yellow card midway through the second half. The Swiss finished the game with nine men as Tranquillo Barnetta and Mijat Maric both got their marching orders in the second half.
Maric was dismissed in the ninetieth minute just after a late goal from Vonlanthen, his second, gave the visitors some hope.
Teams:Republic of Ireland: Murphy (Leicester City); Deery (Derry City), Ennis (Aston Villa), Fitzgerald (Blackburn Rovers), Brennan (Peterborough); W Flood (Manchester City), Keegan (Leeds United), McCafferty (Charlton Athletic), Ryan (Sunderland); Elliott (Manchester City), J Flood (Bray Wanderers).
Subs: Whelan for J Flood (56 mins), Bradley (Arsenal) for McCafferty (73 mins), McStay (Leeds United) for Keegan (85 mins).
Booked: Deery, Ryan, Whelan, Keegan Sent off: Whelan
Switzerland: Leoni (Sion); Barnetta (St Gallen), Gandolfo (Grasshoppers), Maric (Malcamptone), Haid (St Gallen); Schwegler (Luzern), Kohler (Grasshoppers), Clemente (Juventus), Margairaz (Lausanne); Tsimba (Servette), Vonlathen (BSC Young Boys).
Subs: Buhler (Lausanne) for Haid (59 mins), Dugic (Servette) for Clemente (68 mins), Righetti (Xamax) for Margairaz (80 mins).
Booked: Maric, Kohler Sent off: Barnetta, Maric |