Butler's babes deny Danes - November 22, 2000
Ireland u15 3 Denmark u15 2
Vinny Butler's Irish u15 squad battled back from two down to earn a fighting victory against Denmark at Home Farm yesterday.
The Irish got off to a bright start- but were left reeling by a double whammy halfway through the first half.
The Republic defence gifted Dennis Cagara a Danish opener on 24 minutes - and less than three minutes later Kasper Lorentzen made it 2-0.
But the Irish response was instantaneous and they were rewarded almost immediately when Enniscorthy's Paul Murphy burst into the Danish box and was hauled down. Murphy dusted himself off to make it 2-1 from the penalty spot and that's the way the sides went in at half time.
Within three minutes of the restart, Ireland were back on terms. Alan O'Brien crossed from the left and Home Farm's David Cassidy emphatically drilled the ball home.
Cassidy scored his second and Ireland's third in the 58th minute, keeping his cool after Richard Ryan played him through.
And Ireland, finishing the stronger, almost made it four when substitute Joseph Regan of Castleisland, Co. Kerry, rattled the crossbar with along-range effort.
Republic of Ireland: Paul M Murphy (Seatown), James Lee Mathews (St. Joseph's Boys), Eddie Keyes (Belvedere), Derek Tyrell (Belvedere), Patrick Flynn (St. Joseph's Boys), Andrew Cousins (Belvedere), William Flood (Manchester City), Richard Ryan (Belvedere), David Cassidy (Home Farm), Paul Murphy (All Blacks), Alan O'Brien (St. Joseph's Boys)
Subs: Stephen Quigley (Lourdes Celtic) for Flynn 54, Barry Thornton (Cherry Orchard) for Paul Murphy 54, Joseph Regan (Castleisland) for Cousins 65, Stephen Tucker (Cherry Orchard) for Cassidy 65
Goals: P Murphy 27, Cassidy 48, 58
Denmark: Ambrosen, Absalonsen, Cagara, Christensen, Hansen, Hestehave, Jorgensen, Lind, Lorentzen, Trobst, Zimling
Goals: Cagara 24, Lorentzen 26
Subs: Duelund for Absalonsen 22, Vidkjaer for Christensen 45, Buhn for Cagara 45, Larsen for Zimling 59, Pedersen for Hansen 75
Referee: H Byrne (Dublin)