IRELAND will head to Tel Aviv next Tuesday confident that they can secure their place in next year’s European Championships, despite being held to a draw in Tallaght tonight by Israel.
Jim Crawford’s side produced a fine display and carved out the better chances, only to be dealt a sucker punch shortly before half-time.
However, they bounced back in fine style and levelled through 17-year-old Brighton striker Evan Ferguson, before pushing for a winner against a visiting side that played the final 10 minutes with 10 men.
READ MORE: Ireland U21s 1-1 Israel: Live score updates as Evan Ferguson heads home to level things up
Israel will be without defender Stav Lemkin for next week’s second leg after he was red-carded for a shove inches outside the area on Aaron Connolly.
Connolly was impressive throughout on his eagerly anticipated return to Under-21 duty, and was desperately unlucky not to score.
After soaking up some early Israeli pressure, Ireland gained a foothold in the game and their early forward momentum was driven largely by the industrious Joe Hodge in midfield.
His first contribution came after just two minutes when he produced a thundering, but fair, sliding tackle near the left-hand touchline.
It was reminiscent of a young Roy Keane, as was his box-to-box play, some crucial interventions inside the Irish defensive third and his effective distribution.
It’s hardly surprising at this stage that West Ham midfielder Conor Coventry was outstanding too. A senior call surely beckons sooner rather than later.
Once the hosts took control of the ball, it didn’t take on-loan Venezia man Connolly long to link up with his attacking teammates. His trademark runs off the shoulder caused all sorts of problems for the visitors.
One of those almost led to a 15th minute opener. Coventry won possession 10 yards outside the Israeli area and slipped the ball through to Connolly, who was already on the move.
His left-foot shot was touched onto the inside of the near post by goalkeeper Daniel Peretz; a real let-off for the visiting side.
They breathed a sigh of relief again moments later when Tyreik Wright, Will Smallbone and Connolly combined to tee up Evan Ferguson, whose shot was blocked.
Israel’s Mohammad Kanaan was quick to fire a timely reminder of his side’s threat when his 25-yard strike fizzed narrowly over Brian Maher’s crossbar.
Yet the best of the chances continued to drop at the other end of the pitch, where on 19 minutes Lee O’Connor drilled a low ball in from the right to Connolly, who took a touch, turned and shot inches wide of the left-hand post.
Hodge, Coventry and Connolly weren’t the only star performers. Mohammad Kanaan was Israel’s dangerman and at times he brought the best out of St Patrick’s Athletic defender Joe Redmond.
But Derby defender Eiran Cashin really caught the eye with a couple of blocks inside a minute to keep shots from Ido Shahar and Osher Davida from troubling Maher.
At the other end of the pitch, Brighton man Ferguson grew into the game after an uncomfortable start and it wasn’t long before he looked more like a man with Premier League minutes under his belt.
He linked up well with Hodge and Connolly in a move that ended with a Smallbone drive from 18 yards that was acrobatically tipped over the bar by Peretz.
However, Kanaan’s threat remained and he was instrumental in shifting the momentum down the other end of the pitch in the minutes before half-time.
Twice he was denied from distance by smart Maher saves, but when the second stop resulted in a corner, Israel delivered a sucker punch.
Davida’s corner floated towards the back post, Maher came but misjudged and Gorno headed into an empty net.
It certainly wasn’t a reflection on Ireland’s first-half display and Crawford’s side emerged after the break with a determination to rectify matters.
Cashin headed over from a Wright cross on 52 minutes - and he was narrowly off target again on 63 when he got his head to Smallbone’s free from the right.
Ireland’s set-pieces will be the stuff of Israeli nightmares between now and next Tuesday.
It was third time lucky for the Boys in Green when a 64th minute Wright corner led to the equaliser. Ferguson rose highest in the middle of the area to send his glancing header inside the far post.
Buoyed by that goal, Ireland went in search of the lead and Connolly headed straight at Peretz from a Smallbone cross.
Israel, on the other hand, went into containment mode, seemingly happy to take a draw home to Tel Aviv ahead of next Tuesday.
Their defensive efforts were doubled with 10 minutes to go when they went down to 10 men, following a straight red card to Stav Lemkin.
He shoved Connolly over as the striker chased a brilliant ball over the top by Conor Coventry, less than a yard outside the penalty area.
Despite loud calls for a spot-kick, Croatian referee Dario Bel made the right call.
Connolly almost won it deep into injury-time when he raced onto a long ball forward, but drilled the ball over the bar on the half-volley.
However, Crawford’s players won’t be troubled by the fact that they didn’t get the win and will be confident of their prospects in next week’s second-leg.
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