Paul Doolin’s men fall to their first defeat since the first match in the initial qualifying stage, while a second win for the Czech Republic guarantees Jaroslav Hrebik’s men a place in the semi finals. A disappointing end to a match that started so promisingly indeed.
FULL TIME: Czech Republic 2 Republic of Ireland 1
92 min: In the second minute of four, a fantastic defensive header by Jelecek relieves Irish pressure.
89 min: Murphy looks to have been hacked down in the box with the referee does not blow his whistle. A spell of Irish pressure leads in a wasted corner.
As Ireland look set to fall to defeat on Mogosoaia, the top scorer in qualifying, Manchester United’s Robert Brady scored for loan club Hull City in a friendly against Liverpool today. Said to be quite the goal.
Chelsea defender Tomas Kalas is down after a clash with Ferdinand. He receives treatment, whilst play resumes.
86 mins: O’Connor, with all but Egan in the Czech half passes back to keeper McCarey. Ireland don’t know how to break the Czech’s down. All play going to Forde, who’s switched to the right hand side but the Wolves player’s delivery has been erratic at best.
84: Patrik Lacha latches onto Jelecek’s lofted ball into the box but his header lands just wide of an empty net. And Irish equaliser appears the less likely of outcome as the game nears it’s edge. Czech control.
81: Another poor ball by Williams on the edge of the Czech box surrenders posession. Ireland pushing men forward but with little guile to penetrate Czech defence.
79: Ireland lacking edge now, mirroring the opening exchanges, it is now Jaroslav Hrebik’s men who pass the ball around confidently and at their own pace.
78: Hendrick’s foraging run into the opposition ends leads the ball to Forde who gives the ball away needlessly.
77 minute: Double substitution. Polom replaces Janos for the Czechs and the currently between clubs Kevin Knight replaces Sean Murray.
74 min: Czech Republic 2 Republic of Ireland 1
71 min: Patrik Lacha, drills a dipping, unstoppable shot past McCarey from long range. The Czech’s really can do a turnaround. Goal of the tournament so far. Stunning finish from the substitute.
69 min: Williams is yellow carded for a foul on Adam Janos. The free kick is floated in and at the back post Jakub Brabec beats O’Connor in the air to head home. 1-1
65 min: Paul Doolin continues to stick to his his one Conor at a time allowance by replacing Connor Smith with Bray’s Conor Murphy, vice versa to the substitution in the opening agame against Greece. Anthony Forde forces a save from Koublek.
62 min: Fantastic build up play by Carruthers when through on goal, surrounding by Kalas and three other defenders, he wriggles free and squares to Murray who drills just over.
59 min: Ferdinand booked after fouling Lacha from behind. Free kick, yet again is a damb squib after expectant build up.
57 min: Kane Ferdinand McGovern replaces the goalscorer O’Sullivan. The Blackburn Rovers man was carrying a knock prior to this game and it always seemed likely he would be withdrawn. Ferdinand is a more defensive player by nature than the more forward minded O’Sullivan. Change indicative of how the game is going it is safe to suggest.
55 min: Martin’s Sladky and Kraus are swapped as the Czech’s seek to make a game changing substitution. The man coming on, Kraus, plays for Bohemians. Not that one. The Czech Republic side Bohemians 05.
53 min: O’Connor comes across to sweep away Czech through ball after mistake by Hendrick.
48 mins: Janos shot from wide is beaten away for a corner by McCarey. Set piece, again comes to nothing.
I had forgotten what the second commentator correction was but they’ve just provided me with another. John O’Shea was not part of the winning Irish Under 18 side of 1998. Neither was Damien Duff. Robbie Keane and Richard Dunne were however. Naughty commentators.
The second half has just kicked off. Forgot to mention, if you would like to comment or get in touch, you can by emailing me: barry@downinthebox.com.
Just to pick up on a few things the Eurosport commentators said in that first half. Firstly, Paul Doolin did not take over as Ireland youth boss a “couple of years ago”, he took over in September 2010, ten months ago.
Admittedly, I’m always a bit weary about referring to venue’s such as this one as a ‘stadium’. If you can see cars parked at the side of the pitch, it’s not really a stadium is it.
Half time at the Stadionul Mogosoaia: Czech Republic 0 Republic of Ireland 1
45: Janos shot from just outside the area is blocked by Egan’s chest and the deflected away via Doherty. The corner comes in and McCarey claims easily.
42 min: Not sure what the official attendance is, but the 280 uncovered seats behind the Czech Republic’s goal are even more sparsely populated than they were on Thursday for Spain’s win over Belgium.
40 min: Another Czech attack breaks down after miscommunication between Hala and Kaderabek.
38 min: Another quick breakaway from Ireland sees Carruthers square for Murray who shoots just wide of that left hand post again. The Czech’s have been very poor. Unable to match Ireland’s tenacity and willingness to get to the ball first on the whole.
36 min: Murray’s right footed curling effort goes wide of Koublek’s left band post.
35 min: Prikryl’s cross causes momentary panic in the Irish box before a swift Irish break ends in O’Sullivan going to ground under Hala’s challenge. He’s struggling. Yellow card for the Sigma Olomouc man.
32 min: After neat interplay, between Forde and O’Sullivan, Williams is fouled on the edge of the box. The free kick is taken short and Williams fires over. Another example of just how much emphasis Ireland have put on set pieces, each one showing ingenuity.
Quite amazing the noise coming from the Irish bench. Paul Doolin and his staff are kicking every ball, heading every header and talking their team through every moment of this match. Passive is not something you could accuse the former Drogheda United manager of being.
29 min: Matt Dohety fouled by Krejci after the Czech’s had moved forward slowly and scrappily. Struggling to find any rhythm in the face of Irish pressure.
Skalak is the most capped member of the Czech team with nineteen caps but ineffective as yet as he aims to lead the way back into this match.
25 min: Skalak free kick from the right hand side fails to beat the first man Carruthers. He’s been so wasteful in the opening twenty five minutes, the Sparta Prague man.
21 min: Another Czech corner, again played short, is wasted. Both teams similar in their liking of a neat set piece but nothings coming off for Hrebik’s men as of yet. Ireland continue to make things hard for them. Good discipline.
Also, playing at the moment, in Group B, Belgium and Turkey are currently 0-0.
19 min: Ireland earn another corner. High tempo, pressing style evident but neither team displaying real fluidity in this game as of yet.
Ireland are unashamed in their likening for lumping the ball forward from defence. Three willing runners in Smith, Forde and Murray. They need that as midfield stays quite compact and tight when without the ball, meaning it can take some time to join attack from defensive duties. Exemplified by Carruthers and Hendrick challenges early on. Big engines required.
14 min: Forde’s inswinger from the left hand side is glanced towards goal by Smith. Koublek stretches to palm away for a corner. That comes to nothing for Ireland.
12 min: Jelecek’s free kick and Skalak’s resulting corner fails to trouble the Irish defence. Even now, Ireland have gone held their opening goal longer than they did in Buftea on Wednesday.
10 min: GOAL John O’Sullivan – Czech Republic 0 Republic of Ireland 1
9 min: McCarey saves not once but twice for Ireland as Czech’s once again moved ball from right to left.
7 min: Kaderabek’s long cross is cut back to Janos but Samir Carruthers comes back to clear. Corner played short by Skalak, and eventual cross is headed wide by Kaderabek.
4min: Aaron McCarey easily takes an overhit Czech free kick into his grasp. Jeff Hendrick, has looked busy so far, but too eager on that occasion, fouling Skalak.
2min: Ireland have started off confidently, passing the ball around at a very high tempo. Aiming to make the running early on here Paul Doolin’s side.
KICK OFF
Samir Carruthers wink to his mates, back home, as he intimated he would do earlier on today on the social networking site Facebook.
Just going through the formalities of national anthems. Ireland went first and you could tell from the faces of the Irish players that they were inexperienced in this sort of scenario. The players didn’t know whether to smile, wink or remain stoney faced into front of the televsion cameras. It is a big day for all these players.
The teams are in and are on the bottom of this page for your delectation.
Welcome along.
Welcome to Down In The Box’s live minute by minute coverage of the UEFA Euro Under 19 Championship Group A clash between Czech Republic and Republic of Ireland.
Both sides got off to winning starts on Match Day One with Jaroslav’s Hrebik’s Czechs dismissing Romania easily 3-1 after initially going behind to the hosts via a fluked albeit well hit cross and the Republic of Ireland earning a hard fought 2-1 victory over Greece thanks to Anthony O’Connor’s brace.
Both nations are one time winners of the tournament, Ireland’s win coming more recently in 1998. Thirty years previously, the Czech’s picked up their first and to date only trophy at this level. Both teams have gone unbeaten in six UEFA Euro Under 19 Championship games encompassing the qualifying, elite and final rounds.
(l-r): Diamantakos, O'Sullivan: Irishman picked up on a knock against Greece in Buftea.
For Ireland, Blackburn Rovers’ forward John O’Sullivan faces a late fitness test ahead of the match at the Stadionul Mogosoaia.
The match kicks off at 5pm, live on Eurosport. If you can’t get to a television or would like some textual accompaniment, join Barry for the live blog from 4:45pm.
Follow Barry on Down In The Box’s Twitter account for more updates and live scores from all the games – @downinthebox
Republic of Ireland: McCarey, Doherty, Egan (C), O’Connor, Williams, Carruthers, Hendrick, Forde, O’Sullivan, Murray, Smith.
Subs: McDermott, Knight, Murphy, McGovern, Wearen, Walker, Shaughnessy.
Czech Republic: Koublek, Brabec (C), Janos, Kalas, Kaderabek, Sladky, Skalak, Jelecek, Krejci, Prikryl, Hala.
Subs: Zapatel, Jugas, Kraus, Fantis, Lacha, Hadascok, Polom.
