Sean Thornton scored a last minute winner to give the Republic of Ireland under-19 team a 2-1 victory over Holland in the first leg of the European Championship play-off in Rotterdam tonight. The Drogheda youngster capped a dominant mid-field display with a sublime goal to leave the Republic just 90 minutes away from a place in the European Finals in Norway in July.
Brian Kerr’s team took the game to Holland in a tight and intriguing match. The Dutch came close to scoring in the 66th minute before the Irish broke the deadlock eight minutes later. Substitute Stephen Elliott scored with his first touch 30 seconds after coming on before Holland levelled four minutes later.
But Ireland continued to take the game to the fancied Dutch and got their reward through man-of-the-match Thornton. A draw is all Kerr’s youngsters need in the return leg at Turners Cross on April 10 to book their place in the finals.
Filed by Sinéad Kissane
