USA 1 - 0 Republic of Ireland | 2015 - Under-21 Friendlies | 999941255

Under-21 Mens Friendlies | San Pedro Stadium, Marbella, Spain

Saturday, November 15, 2014

USA 1 - 0 Republic of Ireland

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Ireland U21s go down to US defeat in Marbella

THE Republic of Ireland U21 side lost 1-0 to the USA in a friendly game at Estadio San Pedro in Marbella, Spain, this afternoon.

15th Nov 2014

Republic of Ireland 0-1 USA

THE Republic of Ireland U21 side lost 1-0 to the USA in a friendly game at Estadio San Pedro in Marbella, Spain, this afternoon.

A 13th minute goal from Dembakwi Yomba was all that separated the sides with US keeper Santiago Castaño making several impressive saves to keep the Irish at bay.

Yomba scored after intercepting a weak back pass and he fired past Irish keeper Danny Rogers.

The Irish had started brightly and could have taken the lead in the 12th minute when Kenny McEvoy cross for Conor Wilkinson but his header bounced into the ground and was held by Castaño.

Castaño denied Ireland again in the 30th minute after Wilkinson set up Liam Kelly for a volleyed effort that was straight into the keeper's hands.

Kelly was frustrated again by Castaño in the 44th minute when McEvoy fired in a low cross from the right that Kelly volley steered goalwards.

In the 64th minute clever play by Jack Byrne saw him loop a pass over the US defence for Wilkinson, who controlled the ball with his back to goal then turned and volleyed just over.

It was Byrne again who turned creator in the 82nd minute with a free from wide that found Tommy Hoban at the back post but his header went into the side-netting.

Byrne had a chance himself 60 second later but shot over after he'd played a one-two with Pierce Sweeney.

In the 88th minute Will Hayhurst's corner found Hoban at the near post but his volleyed effort his the outside of the upright and went wide.

Wilkinson volleyed over the bar in the 90th minute then Irish keeper Danny Rogers almost became an unlikely hero in the 93rd minute when he came up for an Irish corner and when Mason Watkins-Clark knocked the ball back across goal Rogers attempted a 'scorpion kick' that flew narrowly wide.

"We did very well. We created lots of good chances. We conceded a soft goal which turned out to be the winner but I felt we played some decent football against a good side,” said Irish coach Noel King.

“Of course, we would have preferred to win but the performance was very good so I can't be disappointed with that.

"Brian Lenihan did very well, Glen Rea did well in midfield, Conor Wilkinson was good up front. I don't like naming individuals but overall we used 16 players and they all acquitted themselves well. It's been a worthwhile exercise and we look forward to facing Russia on Monday."

USA: Santiago Castaño; Tyler Turner, Tommy Redding, Matt Miazga, John Requejo; Russell Canouse (Lynden Gooch 46), Kellyn Acosta, Emerson Hyndman, Tommy Thompson (Junior Flores 74), Dembakwi Yomba (Romain Gall 56), Amando Moreno (Andrija Novakovich 84).

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Danny Rogers; Shane Griffin, Mason Watkins-Clark, Tommy Hoban (c), Sean Long (Brian Lenihan 46); Jack Byrne (Dylan Connolly 90), Glen Rea, Liam Kelly (Matthew Hamilton 46); Jack Connors (William Hayhurst 46), Conor Wilkinson, Kenneth McEvoy (Sam Byrne 46).

FIXTURES & RESULTS

Saturday, November 15

USA 1-0 Republic of Ireland, Estadio San Pedro, Marbella

Monday, November 17

Russia v Republic of Ireland, Marbella Football Center, Marbella (5.00pm Irish)

Ireland U21s ready for US challenge in Marbella

NOEL King’s Republic of Ireland U21 side face the USA in a friendly international in Marbella tomorrow as they continue their preparations for next year’s UEFA U21 Championships qualifying campaign.

14th Nov 2014

Head coach King watched the Americans beat Russia 4-3 in Marbella earlier this week and expects a real test at San Pedro Stadium (2.00pm).

”We’re all looking forward to played the USA. I watched them beat Russia 4-3 and they have a lot of physical players. The American players have improved tactically and technically a lot in recent years,” said King.

“It’s a great game for us. They are a really improving force on the international scene and there’s nothing like a game like this to test the players.”

St Patrick’s Athletic defender Sean Hoare and Shelbourne winger Dylan Connolly have knocks and King will assess their fitness before naming his side tomorrow.

“Already this trip has been useful. Everybody has trained well and we’d a good 11 v 11 training game today,” said King.

“It’s a new group of players so we’re trying to bed in the defensive principles and attacking system that suits us and see how the players work together.

“Some of the lads would have never meet each other before this trip so I’m pleasing that the new faces all seem to have settled in.

“Of course nobody will be happy not being in the team. It’s my job to make those decisions. The first XI that plays doesn’t really mean anything, it’s just about looking at players and assessing how they do.”

For the likes of fresh faces Hoare, Connolly, Leeds goalkeeper Eric Grimes, Brighton’s Glen Rea, Shelbourne’s Lee Desmond, Reading’s Liam Kelly and Wigan’s Matthew Hamilton this will be an opportunity to make a strong impression on the Irish management.

“There’s nothing better than actually working with the players, observing them is only one way of gauging them, then training with them will give some extra information but there’s nothing better than matches to really give us good impressions of what they are capable of,” added King

“We’re looking to assess what we have to work with before we can even talk about what way we’re going to approach how we’ll play so.”

The Irish U21 team will all be watching TV coverage of the senior team’s Euro 2016 Qualifying Group game in Glasgow tonight.

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND U21 SQUAD:

Danny Rogers (Aberdeen - on loan at Dumbarton)

Eric Grimes (Leeds United)

Sean Long (Reading)

Shane Griffin (Reading)

Pierce Sweeney (Reading)

Thomas Hoban (Watford)

Brain Lenihan (Hull City)

Mason Watkins-Clark (Stoke City)

Eoghan O’Connell (Celtic)