Ireland Men’s Under-17s had to settle for a 2-2 draw with Türkiye in their opening game of the Telki Cup in Hungary today.

The young Boys in Green had led until the 90^th minute, in an impressive attacking performance, but the Turkish side were able to capitalise on hesitancy at the back with Galatasaray striker Ada Yuzgeç finding the net late on.

Dundalk’s TJ Molloy kept up his impressive goalscoring record at international level with a first-half brace after Türkiye had initially took a 1-0 lead in the contest.

Ireland fell behind in the 28^th minute when Darragh Brunton was adjudged to have picked up a backpass. From the resulting in-direct free-kick Emin Eren Sayar fired Türkiye into the lead.

But the lead would last just over a minute when Molloy got onto the end of cut back from Joe Byrne to convert home past Yigit Kabakusak for 1-1. Five minutes later Molloy turned the game on its head, this time ghosting in at the back post to head his team into the lead from close range.

In the second half Brunton produced a superb save to deny Türkiye an equaliser. The St. Patrick’s Athletic goalkeeper managed to get strong hands from a powerful header to keep Ireland ahead.

If anything it was Paul Osam’s team who looked the more likely to extend their lead with Archie Quinn, Ryan Sheridan and Joey Wuna all having chances to put Ireland 3-1 up.

However, with the game coming to a close, Türkiye were able to steal a goal against the run of play to take the draw. Next up for Ireland is Iceland on Thursday afternoon.
 

Ireland: Brunton, Prizemann,  O’Connor, Spaight, Quigley, Egan (Murphy, 58’), McGrath (C), O’Dwyer (Sheridan, 75’), Byrne, Molloy (Wuna, 87'), Quinn (Mahon, 75’)

Türkiye: Yigit Kabakusak, Tuncel (C), Yasir Satik, Demirag, Yanrik, Seçil, Atalay, Fettahoglu, Sen, Sayar, Fikir Sen. Substitutes: Erogiu, Yancel, Yuzgeç, Karadeniz, Çolak, Duru, Erdogna, Galfa, Çakiroglu, Bober, Özcelik

International Friendly Fixtures/Result (kick-offs are Irish Standard Time)

Tuesday, August 12 | Ireland 2-2 Türkiye
Thursday, August 14 | Iceland vs Ireland, Globall Center, Telki, Hungary, KO 3.45pm
Saturday, August 16 |  Hungary vs Ireland, Globall Center, Telki, Hungary, KO 5pm