UEFA Championship Under-19 elite stage qualifier
Republic of Ireland U-19 0-3 Ukraine U-19
The Republic of Ireland's Under-19 UEFA Championship qualification hopes were dashed today when Ukraine inflicted a second defeat of the elite stage on Paul Doolin's side.
Confidence was high in the Irish camp that better luck would be in store today than Saturday when they outplayed mini-groups hosts Portugal only to succumb to a late winner.
This second of three ties in Parchal was equally tight in the first half but Ukraine stepped it up after the break and once the lead was grabbed 52 minutes, they never looked back.
Chances were shared in the opening half, as both Anthony Forde and Sean Murray were denied a lead goal for Ireland, but Ukraine broke the deadlock on the counterattack on 52 minutes when Borys Tashchy finished past Sean McDermott.
Another lightning breakaway led to the second goal three minutes. An Ireland free-kick into the box was cleared, culminating in Vayacheslav Churko tucking away from close-range.
Ukraine were in full flight at this stage and won a penalty on 66 minutes when Murray was penalised for a shove in the box. Anton Bratkov converted the spot-kick while Ireland's Samir Carruthers was sent off for incurring his second yellow card.
Ireland complete their campaign on Thursday by facing Israel, while Portugal and Ukraine go head-to-head in the shootout for top spot and a place in the Estonia-hosted European Championships in July.
Republic of Ireland: S. McDermott (Arsenal); C. Morrissey (Trieste), N. Byrne (Rochdale), D. Williams (Aston Villa), S. Kavanagh (Fulham); S. Carruthers (Aston Villa), J. O'Sullivan (Blackburn Rovers), F. Sutherland (QPR); S. Murray (Watford), C. Lyons (UCD), A. Forde (Wolves).
Subs: G. Smith (Southend) for Sutherland (57), L. Byrne (Bohemians) for Murray (70), T. Hoban (Watford) for N. Byrne (73)
Ukraine: Tkachenko; Pysko, Balan, Pryndeta, Bratvok; Polyulyakh, Yakovenko, Kulach, Tashchy, Churko, Trubochkin.
Subs: Meskhiia for Tashchy (60), Troyanovskiy for Kulach (70), Yefremov for Churko (72).
Referee: Adrien Jaccottet (Switzerland).
