Republic of Ireland U17s 4-2 Hungary
The Republic of Ireland have qualified for the quarter-finals of the UEFA European Under-17 Championships after a 4-2 win over hosts Hungary.
Colin O'Brien's side went into their final Group A game at the Pancho Arena in Felscut knowing that they had to win in order to reach the knockout stages as Hungary had a superior goal difference.
And the Boys in Green got the result they needed to advance through two goals each from Luke Kehir and Mason Melia.
Ireland will now face the winners of Group B in Saturday's quarter-final which will be live on RTÉ.
Spain currently occupy that top position ahead of Wednesday's final round of Group B games.
Ireland started off on the front foot, going ahead in the fifth minute. The Hungarian defence failed to clear a ball put back into the box. Melia controlled it and passed to Kehir who kept his calm to strike beyond Aron Yaakobishvili for an early Irish lead.
The lead didn't last long as Hungary equalised against the run of play. A Molnar Csaba Mílan free-kick was whipped into the box and the unfortunate Jake Grante headed into his own net.
Ireland responded well, Naj Razi managed to beat his man and square across the box for Kehir but this time the St Patrick’s Athletic winger’s attempt was easily saved by the goalkeeper. It would be his clubmate Melia who got Ireland back in front in the 24th minute.
The striker chased down a lost cause and won a corner. From that corner delivered by Orazi, Melia rose highest to head into the net from close range for his first goal of the tournament.
Shortly after it could have been three. Kehir was looking to add to his earlier goal and when he found himself free at the back post he could only head wide.
On the half-hour mark it was three to Ireland. Orazi, who had scored against both Wales and Poland, got the better of his full-back and squared across goal for Melia to poke it over the line for his second of the game to send O’Brien’s side 3-1 ahead at the break.
Fifteen minutes into the second-half Ireland were four ahead. Razi was able to slip down the left-hand channel and he fed it across goal for Kehir to find the top corner with a beautifully measured strike into the top corner for 4-1. However it would be poor marking from a corner that allowed Hungary back into the game.
Martin Kern stooped low to head in in the 71st minute as Hungary sought an unlikely comeback.
Kehir had an opening to get a hat-trick late on when Ireland counter-attacked and he was released by Romeo Akachukwu.
Kehir stood up his man and tried to bend into the far corner but Yaakobishvili saved smartly to keep out Ireland.
Ireland held onto their two-goal lead until the final whistle with victory confirming O'Brien's side as group runners-up behind Poland.
Republic of Ireland: Healy, Babb, Turley (captain), Grante, O’Sullivan, McGrath, Akachukwu, Razi (Moore, 75) Orazi (Murray, 88), Kehir, Melia (Oksoun, 67).
Hungary: Yaakobishvili, Girsik, Umathum, Kaczvinski, Hornyàk (Burghart, 76), Varga (Demkó, 86), Fenyö (Szabó, 46), Kern (C), Németh (Somfalvi, 76’), Simon, Molnar (Vidnyànszjy, 76)
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