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25.04.2000 at 00:00 Ballymena
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Tournament / to do-match |
Ireland reached the semi-finals of the Northern Ireland Millennium Tournament in emphatic fashion, beating Belgium 3-0 yesterday in Portglenone to top their group.
Vinny Butler's kids now take on Switzerland tomorrow at Ballymena (16:00 BST), with Israel and Austria meeting in the other semi-final.
Stephen Bradley of Lourdes Celtic got Ireland off to a good start when he found the Belgian net after 11 minutes. Irish skipper John Fitzgerald (St. Joseph's Boys) made it 2-0 a minute before half time; and Robbie Shields (Cherry Orchard) put the icing on the cake with a fine individual goal in the second half.
Ireland had a penalty shoot-out victory over Wales in their opener and then beat Scotland 2-1 to put themselves in pole position.
Manager Vinny Butler said: "I am very happy that we have reached the last four. That was out main objective coming here and anything after this is a bonus."
Ireland: Kelly (Cherry Orchard), Kenna (Lourdes Celtic), Fitzgerald (St. Joseph's Boys), Whelan (Man City), Burke (Cherry Orchard), Sharkey (Belvedere), McGrane (Cherry Orchard), Keegan (Home Farm), Bradley (Lourdes Celtic), Elliott (Man City), Shields (Cherry Orchard).
Subs: Mulvihill (St. Francis, Athlone) for McGrane; Power (Ferrybank, Waterford) for Elliott; Rice (Lourdes Celtic) for Bradley, Salmon (Lourdes Celtic) for Shields. |
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