WE AAR’ IN GREAT POSITION
Ferguson goal sets Ireland up with a ‘Rael chance in Tel Aviv
(right) wasn’t long before he looked more like a man with Premier League minutes under his belt.
He linked up well with Hodge and Connolly in a move that ended with a Smallbone drive from 18 yards that was acrobatically tipped over the bar by Peretz.
Momentum
However, Kanaan’s threat remained and he was instrumental in shifting the momentum down the other end of the pitch in the minutes before half-time.
Twice he was denied from distance by smart Maher saves, but when the second stop resulted in a corner, Israel delivered a sucker punch.
Davida’s corner floated towards the back post, Maher came but misjudged and Gorno headed into an empty net.
Crawford’s side emerged after the break with a determination to rectify matters.
Cashin headed over from a Wright cross on 52 minutes and he was narrowly off target again on 63 when he got his head to Smallbone’s free from the right.
Ireland’s set-pieces will be the stuff of Israeli nightmares between now and next Tuesday.
It was third time lucky for the Boys in Green when a 64th-minute Wright corner led to the equaliser. Ferguson rose highest in the middle of the area to send his glancing header inside the far post.
Buoyed by that goal, Ireland went in search of the lead and Connolly headed straight at Peretz from a Smallbone cross.
Israel’s defensive efforts were doubled with 10 minutes to go when they went down to 10 men, following a straight red card to Lemkin.
He bundled Connolly over as the striker chased a brilliant ball over the top by Conor Coventry, less than a yard outside the area.
Decision
Despite loud calls for a spotkick, Croatian referee Dario Bel made the right decision.
Connolly almost won it deep into injury-time when he raced onto a long ball forward, but drilled the ball over the bar on the half-volley.
However, Crawford’s players won’t be troubled by the fact that they didn’t get the win and will be confident of their prospects in next week’s second leg. (left)
SUBSTITUTES:
Dawson Devoy (for Hodge 73), Mipo Odubeko (for Ferguson 79), Festy Ebosele (for Wright 83). NOT USED: David Odumosu, JJ Kayode, Ollie O’Neill, Andy Lyon, Ross Tierney, Anselmo Garcia MacNulty, Festy Ebosele.
SUBSTITUTES:
Karm Jaber (for Herman 61), Hisham Layous (for Kanaan 61), Zohar Zasno (for Davida 79), Yoav Hofmeister (for Kancepolski 79), Noam Melamud (for Gorno 83). NOT USED: Omer Nir On, Iuval Sade, Stav Nachmani, Tay Abed Kassus.
REF: Dario Bel (Croatia).
CONOR COVENTRY
BRIAN MAHER
AARON CONNOLLY says Ireland have nothing to fear ahead of Tuesday’s European Championship play-off second-leg in Tel Aviv.
The tie is evenly poised, thanks to Evan Ferguson’s second-half equaliser.
It was no less than
Jim Crawford’s side deserved as they created the better openings and dominated for large spells at Tallaght Stadium.
“I don’t see why we can’t win,” said Connolly, who hit the post early on his return to the Under-21 side.
“We were the much better team over 90 minutes, they scored from a set piece just before half time which could have derailed us but we kept going.
“For 75 or 80 minutes we dominated.
“Every team has its spells. Unfortunately we conceded but we will be full of confidence going into the second leg.”
As for his effort, which was pushed onto the inside of the post by the goalkeeper, on-loan Venezia striker Connolly remarked: “I’ve said to my parents there, I don’t know how that didn’t go in, the way it spun off the post and came out.
Career
“But obviously it sums up the last year and half of my career really.
“I just need a bit of luck maybe at times, but besides that I thought we created chances.
“If we play like that on Tuesday then I have no doubts we can go through.”
Ireland boss Crawford praised the on-loan Venezia striker and predicted a swift return to the senior set-up.
“Aaron was outstanding, we have been questioning about bringing him in but I had no hesitation,” said Crawford.
“Once we had those initial conversations and he wanted to come in, he proved to everyone that he adores putting on the green jersey.”