Heartbreak for Ireland as U21 Euro qualification dream ends with battling draw in Italy

Several Irish players fell to their knees when the full-time whistle sounded, for some there were tears.

They were so close here they could almost taste it. History was in their grasp, but they leave Trieste empty-handed as their Under-21 Euro 2025 qualifying campaign came to a heartbreaking end after drawing with group winners Italy.

Last Friday, Jim Crawford’s men were just seconds from securing a November play-off but fell short against Norway, and in this final qualifier they fell short again despite a battling performance. Ireland’s wait for a first ever U-21 Euros qualification goes on.

Chelsea’s Cesare Casadei struck the opener just moments after the Irish watched two efforts cleared off the Italian goal line. Wilfried Gnonto then wasted a first-half penalty before skipper Andrew Moran handed Ireland a lifeline, levelling on 66 minutes.

But the five-time Euro winners saw out the point they needed to book their ticket for Slovakia 2025. For Ireland, a late winner would have clinched automatic qualification.

After Ray Houghton at Giants Stadium 30 years ago, Glenn Whelan at Croke Park 15 years ago and Robbie Brady in Lille in 2016, no one could add to that famous list here, as instead, it was the end of the road at the Stadio Nereo Rocco.

Last-minute concessions at home to Italy and Norway, and failure to defeat Latvia last month, have proved costly in their quest for greatness.

Although they drew, Ireland could have still clinched second place and a November play-off if Norway dropped points at home to Turkey – but the Scandinavian side got the job done with a resounding 5-1 win to break Irish hearts to secure second for themselves.

Crawford opted for two changes from Friday’s disappointing 1-1 draw against Norway in Cork, as Sinclair Armstrong returned from suspension to replace Aidomo Emakhu while Wigan midfielder Baba Adeeko came in for Killian Phillips, as the hosts’ first chance of the evening arrived inside the opening eight minutes.

Juventus’ Nicolo Savona fired a good cross into the Irish box but it was well cleared by Corkman Matt Healy, starting his tenth successive qualifier of the campaign.

Minutes later, Healy found a nice pocket of space 25 yards out but fired his effort high over the crossbar, but Ireland soon settled into the game well, as Adeeko’s threatening cross had the home defence worried on 14 minutes.

Crawford’s young guns were enjoying a good spell in the early stages as their first proper chance arrived.

Johnny Kenny saw his header saved from close range initially, but Italy ‘keeper Sebastiano Desplanches dropped the ball inside the six yard box.

The Shamrock Rovers striker was first to follow up but saw his strike heroically cleared off the line by centre-half Daniele Ghilardi. An early warning sign that the visitors were here for a result.

And five minutes later, Italy again needed a goal line clearance to keep their clean sheet intact. Ghilardi came to their rescue once more, this time to keep Adeeko’s shot out, as Italy survived Ireland’s best spell of the half.

Having come through that pressure unscathed, Carmine Nunziata’s Italy broke through at the other end and soon broke the deadlock.

Italy skipper Gnonto skipped down the right flank and sent a dangerous ball across the face of goal. It fell to Casadei, as the midfielder took a touch, beat Adeeko and coolly found the bottom corner to hand his side an early advantage.

With Norway also taking the lead against Turkey, what was a challenge for Ireland was now a mountain to climb.

It could have been two moments later as Leeds United winger Gnonto (who has 13 senior caps to his name), tried his luck from 25 yards but his piledriver was superbly tipped over by Irish ‘keeper Tiernan Brooks.

There was more heart-in-mouth stuff for the Irish on the half hour mark as in-form Roma forward Tommaso Baldanzi struck a free-kick from the right wing, that flew a whisker away from doubling the hosts’ lead.

After taking the lead, Italy soon grew in confidence and were in firm control when, on 36 minutes, Anselmo Garcia MacNulty dragged Baldanzi down inside the area to gift the hosts a spot kick.

But Crawford’s men were offered a lifeline as Gnonto stepped up and blazed the penalty over the bar into row Z – much to the relief of Seville native Garcia MacNulty. A huge let off the Young Boys in Green.

The Irish boss opted to change out his wing backs at the restart as Tayo Adaramola and Connor O’Brien came into the fray with the latter making his competitive U-21 debut.

There was a big shout for a penalty from the Irish players and staff a minute into the second-half as Nicola Bertola knocked Kenny off the ball, but replays showed it occurred just outside the area.

Still, Ireland came out with a new vigour after the break and were much more sharper on the ball in the final third, with Emmanuel Adegboyega putting in a superb cross on 50 minutes.

And it paid off on 66 minutes, as an excellent cross from substitute Aidomo Emakhu teed up birthday boy Moran (21), who coolly slotted the ball into the bottom corner to draw Ireland level.

Minutes later, Armstrong charged through on goal but after a tough tussle with Ghilardi inside the box, the referee pointed for a free out. The Irish bench thought otherwise as calls for a penalty were ignored by the Swedish referee.

Ireland came forward again in search of that all-important winner as Armstrong teed up Emakhu, but the Millwall striker was denied by a crunching challenge by Mattia Zanotti – one that ended his evening.

The Young Boys in Green threw everything at Italy in the final stages, as Brighton striker Mark O’Mahony made a late cameo off the bench, but that golden goal never arrived, despite a fabulous ball across the face of goal from Emakhu in added time which no white shirt could meet.

Not far from the Passaggio James Joyce in this city, there was no passage into the finals for Ireland in north eastern Italy. From being on the cusp of history to total devastation, it’s the end of the road for this next generation.

Italy U21: Desplanches; Savona, Ghilardi, Bertola, Zanotti (Turicchia 76); Casadei, Prati, Ndour; Baldanzi (Bonfanti 89), Esposito (Fabbian 54), Gnonto (Koleosho 76).

Ireland U21: Brooks; Adegboyega, Abankwah, Garcia MacNulty; Curtis (O’Brien 46), Adeeko (O’Mahony 81), Healy, Roughan (Adaramola 46); Moran; Kenny (Emakhu 59), Armstrong.

Referee: Adam Ladeback (Sweden).