Keogh captains U17s in Turkey friendlies

GRANGE’S Seamas Keogh captained the Republic of Ireland U17s as they faced Turkey last week as Colin O’Brien’s side began their preparations for the 2019 UEFA European Championships.

The 16-year-old moved from Sligo Rovers to Southampton during the summer and the North Sligo midfielder has previously captained Ireland’s U15 and U16s too.

The first of the two games took place on Tuesday with the hosts comfortably winning on a 3-0 scoreline in Tallaght.

With Colin O’Brien’s squad qualifying automatically as hosts of the 2019 showpiece, they will play a number of friendlies to prepare rather than the usual qualification process.

Ireland opened the brighter of the two sides with Festy Obosele forcing Arda Özçimen into a fantastic one handed save after a quarter of an hour. Shamrock Rovers goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu started between the sticks for Ireland in his club’s home ground and was called into action on the half hour mark saving well from Muhammed Emin Sarıkaya’s long range effort. The deadlock was finally broken in the 32nd minute when Ireland forward Matt Everitt turned his marker inside the penalty area and drilled a left footed effort into the corner of the net.

Turkey carved open the best chance after the restart but this time Bazunu produced an excellent diving save to deny Emincen Tekin.

Ireland ensured the win with five minutes remaining. Conor Carty’s persistence was rewarded as he chased a long clearance over the top, nicked in ahead of the last Turkish defender before rounding the keeper and slotting into the empty net. Substitute Joshua Giurgi put the icing on the cake with a third for Ireland two minutes later to complete an impressive win for O’Brien’s men.

Then on Thursday Ireland won com-

YOUTHS RESULTS AND FIXTURES

prehensively again on a 4-1 scoreline. Colin O’Brien’s young guns started off where they left off and blitzed the visitors with three goals in the opening half hour. The first goal came after just seven minutes as Cian Kelly headed home a Matt Everitt corner.

Ireland went two up when St Patrick’s Athletic winger Darragh Burns raced past three Turkish defenders before crossing for Matt Everitt who finished clinically from eight yards.

It was three on the half-hour mark, this time Burns went from provider to scorer and slotted home the rebound after Evra Saner Gülal parried a strike from Everitt.

Turkey got back into the game on the stroke of half-time, when Ali Akman dispossessed Timi Sobowale on the edge of the Ireland penalty area and fired a fine finish in off the underside of Jimmy Corcoran’s crossbar.

Ireland rounded off the double header with a stunning goal. Conor Carty met James Furlong’s free kick on the volley from the edge of the area to put the icing on the cake. Speaking after the game, Ireland Head Coach Colin O’Brien was pleased with how his team equipped themselves over the two games. “It was a very productive week with a new bunch of players,” he said.

“We started the process in July, had them in again in August and now these were the first international games at this level for the side.

“It is a step up for them from last year, they took on board some of the ideas we worked on during the week which is a good sign.

“One of our key objectives over the games was to give players minutes to see if they could handle the international level. It has been a very satisfying week.”

With Ireland qualifying automatically as hosts of the 2019 UEFA European Under-17 Championships, O’Brien’s side will face a series of friendly matches in preparation, the next of which take place in November.

“It will mean a slightly different approach for us, but the core values are similar in terms of educating the players and prepping them to do the right thing.

“The calibre of opposition this year will be a lot stronger though as we take on England, Germany and Czech Republic so the players will experience facing top teams before we get to the Finals which will be very important for us.

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Jimmy Corcoran (GK), Cian Kelly (Kyle Conway 46), Joshua Giurgi (Brandon Holt 73), Festy Ebosele, Matt Everitt (Conor Carty 65), Seamas Keogh (C), Thomas Considine, Darragh Burns, Luke Turner, Timi Sobowale, Zak Delaney.

TURKEY: Evra Saner Gülal (GK), Muhammed Emin Sarıkaya, Ça tay Kurukalıp, Rahmi Salih Kaya, Kemal Bayrak, Halil brahim Sevinç, Batın Özdemir, Salih Kavrazlı (C), Ali Akman, Orkun Tırpancı, Polat Abay.

Referee: Mark Moynihan.