Tullamores dwyer in action for ireland u15s in poland
Tullamore Town’s Joe Dwyer featured for the Ireland U15 soccer team in two friendlies away to Poland this week.
Dwyer started for the Republic of Ireland team in last Tuesday’s game which was played at Mniow Stadium. And he was introduced as a substitute in Strawczyn yesterday (Thursday).
In outings which provided Dwyer and his Ireland colleagues with valuable experience, Poland won both games 2-1.
In the first match, Poland took the lead as early as the seventh minute when Jakub Sinior turned the ball home after Irish keeper Lorcan Callaghan had initially saved a strike from distance.
Ireland scored a deserved equaliser in the 48th minute. After a powerful run from Jack Owens on the right, his cross was handled by a Poland defender and a penalty awarded. Glen McAuley stepped up to convert from the spot.
Owens had an effort narrowly off target in the 52nd minute before Ireland were caught by the home side on the counter-attack, with Błażej Starzycki firing home impressively (67th minute)
Republic of Ireland U15s: Lorcan Callaghan; Lee O'Connor (Luke Nolan 74), Aaron McColgan (Aaron Connolly 66), Kevin Healy, Thierry Baba, Joe Dwyer, Dominic Peppard, Charlie Barry, Jack Owens, Glen McAuley, Mark Kelly.
Poland 2 Ireland 1
In the second match between the teams, a defensive lapse from Ireland saw a misplaced pass stolen by Poland’s Wojciech Kafka and he raced through to fire home the opener (33rd minute).
Ireland were unlucky not to equalise in the 52nd when Aaron Bolger had a strike from the edge of the box fly narrowly over after the Poles failed to clear a corner.
Poland went 2-0 up on the hour when a free-kick was sent into the Irish penalty area and the ball dropped for Sebastian Walukiewicz to turn home from six yards.
The Irish were denied a swift response when Jack Owens struck a thundering strike off the Polish crossbar just four minutes later.
Glen McAuley duly pulled one back in the 68th minute when he cut in from the right and fired a stunning strike to the roof of the Polish net to five Ireland real hope.
It was McAuley again who looked so dangerous just two minutes later when he unleashed a brilliant long range effort that unfortunately for Ireland again his the crossbar.
Republic of Ireland U15s: Tom Murphy, Thierry Baba, Dominic Peppard, Lee O’Connor, Luke Nolan, Aaron Bolger, Mark Kelly, Cian Hughes, Aaron Connolly, Ronan Manning, Cian Murphy. Subs: Charlie Barry for Kelly 40 mins; Glen McCauley for C Murphy 62; Jack Owens for Manning 62; Joe Dwyer for Bolger 70.