Under-21s make a winning start
Under-21: Republic of Ireland 2 Hungary 1
Rhys Murphy marked his first Republic of Ireland Under-21 cap with the winning goal against Hungary in tonight’s 2013 UEFA Under-21 Championship Group Seven qualifier at the Showgrounds in Sligo.
Robbie Brady fired Ireland into an early lead before Markó Futács levelled but Murphy claimed the points in front with a 69th minute winner in from of a sell-out 2,500 crowd.
Just like his last outing in Sligo three weeks ago, when his late brace secured victory over Austria victory in a friendly, Brady was once again to the fore.
He turned his marker Daniel Svab inside out on four minutes only to see his shot blocked but was more accurate eleven minutes later.
Full-back Mark Connolly and Adam Barton were involved in the build-up down the right wing but it was Brady’s turn of pace in skipping past two defenders which caught goalkeeper Peter Gulasci off-guard as winger’s low 20-yard screamer flew inside the Hungary goalkeeper’s near post.
Brady continued to turn on the style as he set up Aidan White to drill a good wide on 19 minutes.
Within sixty seconds it got too much for Svab, whose cynical challenge on his nemesis earned him the first booking of the game from Belgian referee Sébastien Delferiere.
King’s side continued to probe and wasted a number of openings, with Gavin Gunning’s wayward close-range header the pick of them.
Hungary sensed an opening and capitalised with the equaliser.
András Gosztonyi’s pass found Ádám Bódi charging down the right and his low cross was swept home by Futács.
Ireland could have been back in front a minute when Barton controlled Connolly’s cross and forced Gulasci to tip his effort his effort onto the crossbar.
Following a scrappy start to the second half, Ireland took control and might have had a penalty when McCarthy was brought down but no whistle came.
Still, McCarthy was in the right place to play a part in Ireland’s winner. Controlling a half-cleared corner, his lay-off to Brady resulted in the winger finding Rhys Murphy unmarked in the box to head downwards home from eight yards.
Hungary were reduced to ten men eight minutes from time when Bence Iszlai saw red for a late challenge on Aidan White en route to the box.
The Under-21s now head to Turkey on Saturday for the second part of the double-header is in Manisa.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: McLoughlin (MK Dons); Connolly (Bolton Wanderers), Canavan (Scunthorpe), Kiernan (Wigan Athletic), Gunning (Dundee United); Towell (Hibernian), Barton (Preston NE), McCarthy (Wigan Athletic); Brady (Manchester United), Murphy (Arsenal), White (Leeds United).
HUNGARY: Gulácsi; Svab, Kálnoki-Kis, Fodor, Szokol; Balázs, Kiss, Iszlai, Bódi; Futács, Gosztonyi.
Subs: Nagy for Futács (79 mins), Gyurcsó for Balázs (81 mins), Hidi for Bodi (90 mins)
REFEREE: Sébastien Delferiere (BEL).
