The Ireland Women’s Under-19s suffered a 3-0 defeat to Germany in the opening qualifier in Round 2 of the UEFA Women’s Under-19 Championship in Essen, Germany.

Following a goal in the 22nd minute for the German midfielder Lotta Wrede, Ireland found themselves hunting down an equaliser until a second was put into the back of the net through Lany Backer.

Wrede got her second goal of the game on 71 minutes to seal the win but there will be a lot of positives that Ireland will take from this performance against an excellent opponent.

The dream of making it to the European Finals for the third time is not over yet with plenty of potential within the squad to take them through.

Ireland is now set to face France on April 13th and then finish off with Slovakia on April 16th to complete round two of the UEFA Women’s Under-19 Championship.

Ireland: Enya Carthy; Lillie Quinlivan Coulson, Clodagh Daly, Finley Newell, Maeve Wollmer (Della Cowper-Grey 67); Sophia Leonard, Madison McGuane, Hazel Donegan (Hannah O’Brien 67), Katie Lawlee (Emma Mooney 84); Hannah Healy (Lucy Fitzgerald 84), Ella Kelly.