Ireland’s under-17s qualified for the Elite phase of the European Championships in remarkable fashion yesterday after beating Scotland 3-0 in Larne.
A goal in the fourth minute of added time from Shamrock Rovers’ Goodness Ogbonna combined with a late goal conceded by Lithuania against Northern Ireland meant Colin O’Brien’s team pipped Lithuania to the final qualification spot.
Both Ireland and Lithuania couldn’t be separated via goal difference, head-to-head or goals for/against.
It came down to which team had the least yellow cards and it was Irish discipline proved the difference.
But for Ogbonna’s stoppage-time goal, and a 90th minute strike from Paul McGovern for Northern Ireland, O’Brien’s team would be heading out of the qualifiers and miss next summer’s tournament in Albania.
However, they will be in December’s draw for next spring’s Elite Phase for a chance at another European Championship journey.
The day had started off straight forward for Ireland. Win their game against Scotland and hope the impressive Northern Ireland could thwart a Lithuania win.
Ramon Martos got Ireland going with a fine finish after cutting in from the left and finding the bottom corner for 1-0 in the 36th minute.
That would be the score at half-time at Inver Park, but news was coming through from Seaview that Lithuania were 2-0 up.
By the 67th minute, it seemed to be all over when Lithuania took a commanding 3-0 lead. Back at Inver Park, Michael Noonan converted from the spot in the 76th minute.
However, in a four-minute window the whole complexion of the group changed. Lithuania conceded in the final minute to bring their goal difference to plus one, meaning Ireland needed just one more goal to level up the group.
With seconds remaining, Ogbonna hit the target.
When the final whistle went, Irish players awaited their fate. After some 20 minutes, news came through that they had finished in second place.