Ireland U-19s end European Championship bid with defeat to the Netherlands

The Dutch marched into a semi-final against France with goals from Karlijn Woons and Mirte van Koppen as the Girls in Green couldn’t rescue the victory they needed to progress.

England and Spain, who Ireland held to a scoreless draw in their opener, will meet in the other semi-final.

Dave Connell again rotated the right wingers in his only change from the 2-1 defeat to Germany. Aoife Turner got her first involvement of the tournament, replacing Hannah Healy.

They dealt comfortably with the Dutch in the opening spell and countered to produce the first shot on target when Joy Ralph fired straight at the goalkeeper.

The Oranje grabbed the lead from a harshly awarded 18th-minute free-kick. From Jade van Hensbergen’s delivery, Woons got a free run to nod the ball to the net.

The Dutch immediately pushed for a second. Danique Tolhoek rolled a shot narrowly past the post and a wicked Van Koppen effort was deflected just wide.

After a cooling break, Katie Keane kept the deficit to one goal until half-time. She batted over the bar from a Lotte Keukelaar drive and saved with her outstretched left foot to frustrate the Ajax attacker.

Ireland needed two goals to rescue their hopes and they almost had the first within four minutes of the restart. Ralph’s stunning strike from 30 yards lobbed the ’keeper but came back off the post.

Keane tipped over twice more from Keukelaar’s mazy effort and a Van Hensbergen header. But it was game over seconds after the hour mark when Van Koppen was sent through the middle and powered the ball to the roof of the net.

In the closing stages, a goalmouth scramble didn’t quite fall for substitute Hazel Donegan and Ceola Bergin’s long-range shot forced Danae van der Vliet to palm around the post.

Ireland: Keane; Russell, Thompson, Kelly, Dossen (Donegan 82), J Loughrey (H Healy 68); Turner (Phillips h-t), Dolan, Fitzgerald (F Healy 68), O’Leary; Ralph (Bergin 82).

Netherlands: Van der Vliet; De Klonia, Woons, Kardinaal, Chibani; Van Uden, Van Hensbergen, Van de Velde (Proost 62); Keukelaar (Iedema 85), Tolhoek, Van Koppen.

Referee: O Tschon (Austria)

Source link : https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/international-soccer/ireland-u-19s-end-european-championship-bid-with-defeat-to-the-netherlands/a1139095358.html

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Publish date : 2024-07-21 13:54:11

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