Power sees action for Ireland U18 side
Greystones lad in action for Ireland against Australia
at Home Farm FC 2 1
to head home what proved to be the winner.
The goal was created by Lucan CBS scholar Kyle Robinson’s precise pass that gave
Hanratty the chance to whip in a high cross from the left and Ahern managed to get his head on the ball and guide it home for a superb double.
Both sides had chances to get on top in the first half but neither could manage to make the breakthrough.
Ireland might have taken a 20-minute lead when Robinson was unlucky to see the ball go just past the post after he charged down goalkeeper Luke Genua’s hurried clearance.
While later the deadlock looked likely to be broken with two further Irish chances.
The first came from Rob Walsh’s well struck free kick that zipped across the Australia goalmouth without any Irish boot getting a touch on it.
Another opportunity quickly followed when Daniel Cox (St. Joseph’s College, Galway) might have opened the scoring but he placed his finish wide after Adam Verdon and Kyle Robinson had combined to create the opening.
Rhys Osmond had the best chance for Australia coming up to the break but after doing well to get past defenders Rob Walsh and Andrew Quinn on the right, but he dragged his finish just outside the far post.
The penalty coolly converted by Kuzevski on 56 minutes put Australia in the driving seat although a fantastic double save from goalkeeper Rozman who kept out close range efforts from Robinson and Ahern might have seen Ireland get back on terms.
However, minutes later Ahern got another opportunity to make amends and this time he made no mistake with his superb finish from distance.
That equaliser shook the visitors and when Ahern quickly headed home his second there was no way back as the Irish grew in confidence with Eoin Farrell and Adam Verdon dominating the midfield and Kyle Robinson and Brian Ahern always lively up front.
A deserved win that delighted head coach O’Connor, ‘Games against Australia are always difficult as our side are all Under 18 while they are Under 19 but we responded well after conceding the early second half penalty.
‘Brian (Ahern) did really well to get us back on top with two great goals.
‘The first one in particular was some strike.
‘Overall all the squad did brilliantly and there were some fine individual performances too which bodes well for our bid to regain the Centenary Shield with the first of our four games a home fixture against Scotland coming up on March 19’.
The Irish students will have a trial game against Colin O’Brien’s Under 17 selection in a few weeks time as O’Connor attempts to whittle the squad down to 16 players for the Centenary Shield fixture at the end of March.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND:
Eoghan O’Sullivan (Coláiste Cois Life, Lucan); Cillian Heaney (Rice College, Westport), Adam McCarron (Scoil Mhuire, Buncrana), Andrew Quinn (Dunshaughlin Community College), Rob Walsh (Glanmire Community College); Eoin Farrell (Ardscoil na Tríonóide, Athy) Adam Vernon (Gaelcholáiste Reachrann, Donaghmede); Adam Lennon (Athlone Community School), Daniel Cox (St. Joseph’s College, Galway), Charlie Concannon (Yeats College, Galway); Kyle Robinson (Coláiste Phadráig, Lucan CBS). SUBS: Patrick Ferry (Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair) for Walsh h-t, Brian Ahern (Hazelwood College, Dromcollogher) for Cox h-t, Patrick McGarvey (Rosses Community School, Dungloe) for O’Sullivan h-t, Joe Power (Presentation College, Bray) for Heaney h-t, Mark Hanratty (Lusk Community College) for Concannon h-t, Luke Rudden (Carndonagh Community School) for Lennon 86.