IRELAND 1 (Ferguson 64) ISRAEL 1 (Gorno 44)
Evan Ferguson’s powerful second-half header earned Ireland a draw on a night Aaron Connolly reminded Irish fans of the potential he possesses in a green shirt.
Israel’s goal against the run of play just before half-time sent the visitors in with the advantage at the break in front of a crowd of 6,786 at this European Under-21 Championship qualifier, first leg, in Tallaght.
Ferguson headed home from a corner in the 64th minute and Israel finished the game with 10 men after Stav Lemkin received a straight red card for a foul on Connolly, for which Ireland felt they might have got a penalty.
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Ireland, attempting to make history by qualifying for the tournament at this grade for the first time, were the better team for much of the game and created more in the way of goal-scoring chances.
Connolly, making his first under-21 appearance since 2019, was the standout player – his movement, trickery, desire and decision-making causing the Israelis problems all night. He struck the post in the first half and won the corner which led to Ferguson’s goal.
Ireland started with a front two of Connolly and Ferguson, and from the get-go the Galway man was busy – sliding in as Lemkin cleared from the back, the Israeli defender displaying his displeasure with Connolly’s aggression moments later by shunting him in the back, the start of a running battle throughout the evening between the pair.
Tyreik Wright was involved in a lot of Ireland’s early attacking play down the left flank, but the Bradford City man’s first touch sometimes let him down. Still, he linked up with Connolly regularly and it was from a cross whipped in by Wright on the quarter hour mark that the game’s opening goal almost arrived.
Israel failed to properly clear the danger and when the ball was played back inside to Connolly he struck his shot sweetly, low to the inside of Daniel Peretz but the Israeli goalkeeper got down brilliantly to deflect the ball off the post.
In the 19th minute a neat pass by Joe Redmond again found Connolly in the box, the on-loan Venezia player skilfully killed the ball with his left foot before striking with his right, but this time he dragged his effort just wide of the far post.
With five minutes remaining in the first half, Will Smallbone smacked a well-hit effort from a central position just inside the box, forcing the outstretched Peretz to palm the ball up and over the crossbar.
But while Ireland had created the better scoring opportunities, there were warnings at the other end. Oscar Gloukh was orchestrating most of Israel’s attacking play. In the 43rd minute Mohammad Kanaan showed his willingness to shoot from distance by arrowing a free down the middle.
Kanaan was at it again moments later, curling an effort from outside the box that forced Brian Maher to dive to his left and push the ball behind. From the resulting corner, floated in by Osher Davida, Idan Gorno was able to beat both Maher and Redmond to nod home the in-swinging cross.
It was a cruel blow to concede on the stroke of half-time, but Ireland remained positive at the restart. Will Smallbone had become increasingly influential but again it was Connolly’s movement that was causing Israel most problems. Just after the hour mark Lemkin conceded a free when he clipped Connolly’s heels out near the corner.
Moments later Connolly’s trickery and endeavour on the endline, when faced with two defenders, earned Ireland a corner. Wright put in an outswinger from the left and Ferguson went skyward as if he had propelled himself from a trampoline, getting up above a forest of bodies before powerfully heading beyond Peretz.
Ireland thought they had a penalty in the 80th minute when Lemkin, again, fouled Connolly. A lovely weighted ball over the top by Conor Coventry put Connolly through on goal, but he was bundled over by the Israeli defender, who was shown a straight red. A free was awarded from the edge of the box, but Ireland felt it should have been a penalty.
After the final whistle there was an incident on the pitch where a young supporter ran on with a Palestinian flag, much to the annoyance of the Israeli squad, one of whom grabbed at it.
All in all it sets up an exciting second leg in Tel Aviv next Tuesday. On this performance, it will certainly be no Hail Mary trip for Ireland, who can travel with genuine hope of making history.
For if you haven’t got a prayer in the Holy Land, you haven’t got one anywhere.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Maher; O’Brien, Redmond, Cashin; O’Connor, Coventry (C), Smallbone, Hodge (Devoy, 73), Wright (Ebosele, 84); Ferguson (Odubeko, 79), Connolly.
ISRAEL: Peretz; Herman (Jaber, 61), Lemkin, Cohen ©, Morgan; Kanaan (Layous, 61), Shahar, Kancepolsky (Hofmeister, 79), Gloukh, Davida (Zasno, 79); Gorno (Melamud, 83).
Referee: Dario Bel (Croatia).
