Ireland Boys Under-15s Head Coach Jason Donohue said his side were unlucky not to beat Portugal in Lisbon after his team produced an excellent performance in a 0-0 draw.

The Young Boys in Green played their second of two games at the Stadio Nacional Do Jamor in the Portuguese capital, looking to bounce back from a 5-1 defeat to the hosts days earlier.

Despite the scoreline Ireland were the stronger of the two teams before a red card for Maxim Afonin before half-time changed the complexion of the game.

Ireland regrouped and produced a fine performance in game two and but for the Portugal goalkeeper, Tiago Amorim, Ireland would have won convincingly.

Jamie O’Donnell had a great chance in the 30^th minute when his goal bound attempt was headed away when it looked destined for the top corner.

Five minutes into the second half Derry City’s O’Donnell forced a fine save from Amorim who denied the striker with his feet as Ireland looked the more likely to win.

Amorim produced an excellent double save to deny Ireland. First he flung himself to his left to stop Shamrock Rovers’ Johnny Collins then he got up to somehow claw out St. Patrick’s Athletic’s Ethan Kelly’s attempt from off the line.

In the final moments of the game it was Ireland looking for the win but they couldn’t find a way past the Portuguese rearguard.

Speaking after the game, Head Coach Jason Donohue said he was delighted with his team’s reaction from the first friendly. He said: “We had a squad of 20 and made nine changes from the first game and stuck to our process of making sure each players involved started. We reflected on game one and we were disappointed in the goals we conceded because they were easily defendable. So the objective going into game two was to improve defensively, especially from wide areas and we did that.

“The performance, we dominated the game and we looked like we were going to win the game going into the last 10 minutes.

“We stuck to our identity, we played through the thirds, we played on the front foot and at times they figured how we pressed so we rode through their 10-minute spell where they had us pinned us back. But just 10 minutes out of an 80 minute game against a Portugal team in Portugal I think we really stood up to them.”

Portugal: Amorim (Pinto, 76’), Tavares, S.Ribeiro (Blade, 68’), V. Fernandes (Pedrosa,68’), L Fernandes (Silva, 58’), Batista, Lopes (Fontes, 58’), R. Pereira (Castro, 41’), Cassama (A. Pereira, 58’) Bock (Farinha, 41), M. Ribeiro (C) (Cabral, 41).

Ireland: Byrne, Nolan (O’Hallroan, 76’), Dunne, Afonin, Okeowo (Zeller,41’),  O’Dwyer (C) (Culleton, 76’), Echefu (Kelly, 54’), Daly (Lynch, 54’), Nichols (Marshall, 76’), Collins (Aliyev, 68’), O’Donnell (Quinn, 54’)