Jaden Umeh (number 24) celebrates giving Ireland the lead SPORTSFILE
Ireland MU15 3-1 Australia MU16
The Republic of Ireland Men’s Under-15s defeated the Australia Men’s Under-16s 3-1 in a friendly at the FAI National Training Centre, Abbotstown today.
Two goals from Cork City’s Jaden Umeh and a penalty from St. Patrick’s Athletic’s Michael Noonan were enough to secure the win for Jason Donohue’s side.
The game was the MU15s first game on Irish soil this season with Donohue handing first Ireland starts to Liverpool’s Joe Bradshaw and Shelbourne’s Finn Sherlock.
It took them until the midway stage of the first half to break the deadlock. Shamrock Rovers’ Brody Lee, who was a constant threat to the Australian defence, beat his man with a neat piece of skill and crossed to Umeh who tapped home from close range,
In the 35th minute it was 2-0. Lee was felled inside the box and Noonan stepped up to score from the spot and give Ireland a two-goal cushion heading into the break.
Ten minutes into the second half Umeh wrapped-up the game as contest with a superb strike. The forward showed great composure to control the ball out the air while on the move before firing past Oscar Page at the near post.
Australia pulled one back back in the latter stage of the game when Wataru Kamijo produced a moment of quality when his free-kick found the top corner from 20-yards out.
Speaking after the game, Ireland MU15s Head Coach Jason Donohue said: “We won the game but the main thing was our performance. It’s another game that exposed the players to the quality of international football. Competition in this squad is fierce and there are hundreds of players who are looking to get into this squad of 18.
“Everyone got plenty of minutes on the pitch, they showed get character when Australia got a goal back and the momentum shifted our way and we finished the game stronger.”
Republic of Ireland: Noonan (Cullen, 41), Odatiti, McDonagh (Tollett, 55), Doyle, Sherlock (McGrath, 41), Finneran (C), Bradshaw, Ogbonna (O’Connell, 55), Umeh (Mitchell, 55), Noonan (Keeley, 41), Lee (Kovalevskis, 55)
Australia: Flannery, White, green, Nasso, O’Neil, Kamjo, Saul, Fryer, Knexvic, Elsabeh, Leonard
Substitutes: Page, Moya, Randazzo, Aldieri, Adhanom, Sekhon, Utan.
Referee: Endrit Malaveci
