Ireland's prospects of reaching the semi-finals of the European Under-19 Championships are still well and truly alive - despite last night’s late defeat to France.
A win on Sunday against the Czech Republic would send Tom Mohan’s men through to the last-four, as long as the already qualified France avoid defeat to Norway.
Wilson Isidor broke Irish hearts with an 83 minute goal. His header finally breached an impressive defensive display.
Mohan said afterwards: “You just have to keep going until the end.
“A quality side like France, they are always going to be a danger right up until the last ball is kicked.
“The ball that they scored from, we had dealt with that situation all night and that was the disappointing thing.
“But I couldn’t ask any more of the boys.”
Goalkeeper Brian Maher had kept out everything the French had thrown at him up to that moment, while the players in front of him were equally disciplined.
Skipper Lee O’Connor looked every bit the Manchester United player as he made block after block, including one goal-line clearance shortly before the France goal.
And Ireland had chances of their own, with striker Jonathan Afolabi going close from inside his own half.
Afolabi, moments later, forced goalkeeper Stefan Bajic into a full-stretch save when he burst into the area midway through the second-half.
It all comes down to Sunday’s clash with the Czechs, whose scoreless draw with Norway yesterday was as good a result as Mohan’s men could have asked for.
“That’s true,” Mohan agreed, “but all we can focus on is Sunday’s game.
“We’ll get the boys rested and recovered, and we’ll get ready for a different type of opponent.”
Ireland: Brian Maher (St Patrick’s Athletic); Andy Lyons (Bohemians), Oisin McEntee (Newcastle), Mark McGuinness (Arsenal), Kameron Ledwidge (Southampton); Joe Hodge (Manchester City), Brandon Kavanagh (Shamrock Rovers), Lee O’Connor (Manchester United); Ali Reghba (Leicester City), Jonathan Afolabi (unattached), Matt Everitt (Brighton).
Subs: Barry Coffey (Celtic) for Kavanagh 65, Tyreik Wright (Aston Villa) for Everitt 76.
France: Stefan Bajic; Pierre Kalulu, Oumar Solet (Jean Marcelin 84), Benoit Badiashile, Theo Matam; Bridge Ndilu, Maxence Caqueret (Yanis Begraoui 67), Mathis Picouleau; Charles Abi (Nathan Minpole 77), Julien Ponceau (Claudio Gomes 67); Alexis Flips.
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