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Dismal run continues for Irish young guns
November 17, 2009
Armenia 4-1 Rep of Ireland
Don Givens’s Republic of Ireland sustained a damaging defeat to Armenia in Tuesday’s Uefa Under-21 Championship qualifier in Yerevan.
After one defeat and four draws from their previous qualifiers, this result leaves the boys in green without a win, bottom of Group 2 and out of contention for qualification for the 2011 finals.
Metalurg Donetsk striker Henrik Mkhitaryan fired a hat-trick for an Armenia side which had lost four of their first five qualifiers to sit bottom of the table.
Mkhitaryan opened the scoring on the half hour and doubled the lead 16 minutes into the second half.
Cillian Sheridan, the Celtic striker on loan to Plymouth Argyle, pulled one back from Jay O’Shea’s centre but Hovhaness Goharyan’s made it 3-1 and Mkhitaryan completed his treble from the penalty spot before the finish.
Armenia: Hovhannisyan, Arakelyan, Voskanyan (Ghazaryan, 76), Mkrtchyan, Malakyan, Hayrapetyan, Goharyan (Badalyan, 90), Manoyan, Yuspashyan, Yedigaryan (Khachatryan, 74), Mkhitaryan.
Republic of Ireland: Redmond (Nottingham Forest – on loan to Burton Albion) - Oyebanjo (Histon), Morris (Newcastle United), Dennehy (Cardiff – on loan to Hereford United), Hughton (Lincoln) – Conneely (Galway United), Gleeson (MK Dons), O’Shea (Birmingham), Carey (Celtic) – Collins (Aston Villa – on loan to Darlington), Sheridan (Celtic – on loan to Plymouth Argyle). Subs: Clifford (Chelsea) for Carey (half-time); Madden (Bohemians) for Collins (56 mins).
Referee: R. Prihoda (Czech Republic).
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