|
24.03.1998 at 19:00 Drnovice
|
Attendance: |
|
Czech Republic |
3 - 0
|
Under 21 |
Libor Sionko 14 mins,
Martin Vozabal 83 mins,
Jan Zakopal 89 mins, |
None. |
Two late goals Czech-mates experimental Irish U-21 side
Czech Republic U21 3
Republic of Ireland U21 0
by Bill Pierce
WEST HAM'S teenage striker Lee Boylan survived a broken cheekbone scare after he was stretchered off unconscious following a collision 20 minutes into his Republic of Ireland U-21 debut against the Czech Republic in Drnovice yesterday.
Boylan, on the brink of breaking into West Ham's first team, was laid out when Czech goalkeeper Jindrich Skacel caught the striker flush on the chin with his knee while trying to clear a long, high through ball down the middle.
An x-ray later on revealed Boylan just suffered bad bruising.
The impact, however, was so great that goalkeeper Skacel had to limp off shortly afterwards with a damaged knee.
By the 14th minute Ireland were trailing by a goal from lively Czech winger Libor Sionko.
But they should have cleared the danger from a free kick that bounced inside the six yard box before it was forced home.
Sub Baker, from Shelbourne, was a lively menace after replacing Boylan but the Irish failed to create clear cut chances and spent much of the time on deep defence against the fast-breaking home side.
Even so it was not until seven minutes from time that the Czechs increased their lead when the ever dangerous Martin Vozabal broke through a yawning gap in the centre of the Irish defence and beat substitute goalkeeper Alex O'Reilly with a firm right foot drive.
Right at the death substitute Jan Zakopal added a third, hooking home fiercely when a corner was only half cleared.
But it might have been a different story had the Irish been awarded an obvious penalty just after the break when Alan Mahon's near-post corner was clearly handled by Czech captain Martin Cupr.
Irish manager Ian Evans, despite his side suffering late double strikes, will be happy at having blooded 11 new caps.
Aston Villa's Alan Kirby, Rotherham's Paul Dillon and Barnsley's Sean McClare all came on as substitutes as well as O'Reilly, another West Ham find, who took over from Huddersfield's Derek O'Connor after 70 minutes of play.
Although Glen Crowe battled hard up front to give the lively Baker some support the best Irish performances came in midfield and defence with Crystal Palace's wing Tony Folan always trying to be creative on the right and Brighton's Paul Armstrong showing great determination to anchor the midfield.
Czech Rep: Skacel (Raska 27), Svejnoha (L. Dosek 46), Petrous, Cupr, Lengyel, Vozabal, Jankulevski, Jarosk (Papousek 46), Pacanda (T. Dosek 46), Sedlacek (Zakopal 85), Sionko (Simak 62).
Rep of Ireland: O'Connor (O'Reilly 70), Folan, McKeever (Dillan 46), Whittle (McClare 64), Boxall, Darcy, Inman (Kirby 46), Armstrong, Boylan (Baker 22), Crowe, Mahon. |
|
|
