TURKISH DELIGHT
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IRELAND’S Under-21s completed a sensational late comeback to get their European qualifying campaign off to a winning start last night.
It was Jim Crawford’s substitutions that sealed the deal, with Zak Gilsenan’s 87th-minute penalty bringing the hosts level before Aidomo Emakhu’s winner six minutes into added time.
It was a perfect finish to Ireland’s first competitive match at Turner’s Cross in 14 years, in front of 3,754.
They started the stronger and troubled Turkey from the off, almost opening the scoring in the fifth minute. Seán Roughan’s corner was met by Sam Curtis but his powerful header was blocked on the line.
Juventus winger Kenan Yildiz had been identified as Turkey’s dangerman but his first burst forward was ended by Matt Healy. The Corkman got back to his feet to send Johnny
Kenny in at the other end but his heavy touch allowed keeper Dogan Alemdar to steal the ball away.
The Turkish no. 1 required treatment but after the stoppage, his long ball brought about their breakthrough.
Confidence
Erencan Yardimci picked up the flick on and was brought down by Anselmo Garcia McNulty. Despite a long delay, Yildiz’s composed spotkick sent Josh Keeley the wrong way.
That seemed to knock Irish confidence, although Roughan had an opportunity to level when the Turkish keeper flapped at a Moran cross. His finish, however, blazed over.
All of the other chances were at the opposite end. Keeley was worried by an acrobatic Ravil Tagir effort that floated wide, Seán Grehan burst a gut to block Enis Destan, and Yildiz hit the roof of the Shed End when miscuing another fine opportunity.
Roughan’s range of passing and crosses gave Ireland their route back in. He sent Kenny in behind to test the keeper and his subsequent corner was headed over by Garcia McNulty.
That brought the crowd alive and his next corner would deliver the equaliser. Curtis’s header was half cleared but Moran controlled and dispatched a volley to the top corner.
Moran was full of running now and looked to have given Ireland the lead three minutes later. The referee called play back, however, for a foul that looked debatable.
Alemdar again required treatment which broke Irish momentum.
The long stoppage saw Yildiz withdrawn and was once again followed by a breakaway goal. Sub Cihan
Canak announced his arrival with a volley low into the bottom corner to restore their lead.
But Moran, dubbed the ‘Irish Phil Foden’ by a former coach at Brighton, dribbled his way past the Turkish defence before being brought down.
His Blackburn teammate Gilsenan, born in Australia to Irish parents and brought to Europe by Barcelona, stepped up to blast into the corner.
Finish
They almost snatched it when Bosun Lawal powered in a header but Alemdar saved superbly.
But he could do nothing about Emakhu’s inch-perfect finish after a brilliant run and cross by another sub in Tony Spingett. Roughan and a Turkish mentor were sent off amid the celebration in the dugouts. IRELAND: J Keeley; S Curtis, B Lawal, A Garcia MacNulty, S Roughan (J Furlong 90+4); M Healy, S Grehan (T Springett 84), B Adeeko; Adam Murphy (Z Gilsenan 72), J Kenny (A Emakhu 72), A Moran. TURKEY: D Alemdar; UK Yildiz, S Saatci (E Bayram 72), R Tagir, Y Ozcan; AB Potur, B Elmaz (M Baltaci 81), C Turkmen, K Yildiz (C Canak 71); E Yardimci, E Destan. Referee: J Jaanovits (EST).