MELIA HAT-TRICK AS UNDER 17S SINK UKRAINE IN PAPHOS

Republic of Ireland Men’s Under-17s took a step closer to qualification for the UEFA European Under-17 Championship after a 3-0 victory over Ukraine in Paphos, Cyprus this afternoon.
 
St. Patrick’s Athletic’s Mason Melia hit a hat-trick for the young Boys in Green as Ireland edge closer to a first Under-17s EUROs since 2019.
 
Two goals from the Pat’s marksman in the first half was followed by his third just after the hour mark but Ireland would end the game with 10 men after captain Freddie Turley saw red late on.
 
Colin O’Brien’s team, who pulled off an impressive 2-2 draw against Italy earlier in the week, can confirm their place at the finals in Hungary in May with a draw over hosts Cyprus on Monday.
 
O’Brien made several changes to the starting line-up, notably the re-introduction of Liverpool’s Trent Kone Doherty. And the Liverpool winger didn’t take long to make an impact.
 
Kone Doherty got down the left wing and crossed into the box, Melia took advantage of the hesitancy between the goalkeeper and the defender and tapped home for 1-0 in the just the fourth minute.
 
Eight minutes later it was 2-0. Luke Kehir drilled a ball across goal and Melia was on hand to convert it past Markiian Bakus to give Ireland a two-goal cushion.
 
At the break Ike Orazi was brought on for Kone Doherty and his introduction had some impact. The Shamrock Rovers forward drove towards the by-line and pulled it back for Melia to complete his hat-trick in the 62nd minute.
 
O’Brien will have to make do without his captain Turley for the final qualifier against Cyprus after he was dismissed following a foul on Ukraine skipper Matvii Ponomarnenko.
 
However Ireland know should they avoid defeat on Monday they’ll be heading to the EUROs in Hungary.

 
Republic of Ireland: Healy, Harnett, Turley (C), Ashbee, O’Sullivan, McGrath, McAndrew (Moore, 73), Kehir (Babb, 77), Razi (Akachukwu, 68), Kone Doherty (Orazi, 46), Melia (Okosun, 73)
 
Ukraine: Bakus, Bakai (Kaidalov, 66), Korobov, Zakharchenko, Dykyi, Ischenko (Rusnak, 66), Pashko, Bilyi (Osypenko, 66), Khan (Budko, 33), Kalyn, Ponomarnenko (C)
 
Referee: Mohammad Usman Aslam (Norway)
 
UEFA European Under-17 Championship Elite Round Qualifiers/Results

Tuesday, March 7 | Italy MU17 2-2 Ireland MU17
 
Friday, March 10 |  Ireland MU17 3-0 Ukraine MU17
 
Monday, March 13 | Cyprus MU17 v Ireland MU17, Stelios Kyriakides Stadium, Paphos, Cyprus, KO 1pm