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Ten-man Ireland edge Qatar amid tennis ball protests at Aviva Stadium

Updated / Thursday, 28 May 2026 23:39
Nathan Collins
Nathan Collins celebrates his early goal

Nathan Collins scored the only goal of the game and both sides were reduced to ten men as Republic of Ireland saw off a limited Qatar side in their friendly at Aviva Stadium on Thursday.

Collins' early header proved to be the difference between the sides, before Jack Moylan saw red on his second cap at the end of the first half.

Manager Heimir Hallgrimsson was also able to hand debuts off the bench to Lecce’s Corrie Ndaba, Benfica-based Cork man Jaden Umeh and Tottenham Hotspur's ex-St Patrick's Athletic striker Mason Melia.

But the match ultimately unfolded amid the backdrop of a tennis ball protest by supporters within the Aviva Stadium in opposition to the staging of the Nations League fixtures against Israel later this year.

Ireland are due to face Israel on 27 September, before a home game at Aviva Stadium on 4 October, with the FAI stating that they will fulfil the fixtures.

The prospect of those matches going ahead have garnered both controversy and protest amid the situation in Gaza and that was made apparent within the stadium.

On Wednesday, Hallgrimsson, who had shared his thoughts on the potential of protests taking place during the game, had promised to name an experienced team, citing the opposition's strengths.

The manager stayed true to his word with Moylan, winning just his second cap after a hat-trick on debut against Grenada earlier this month, the least seasoned at international level within the XI.

Meanwhile, Qatar, with ex-Spain, Real Madrid, Wolves and West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui at the helm, are World Cup-bound where they will face Switzerland, Canada and Bosnia & Herzegovina in a wide open Group B.

Two of their starting XI in Dublin - 2022 World Cup veterans and centurions Akram Afif and Boualem Khoukhi - had 237 caps between them going into the game.

Ireland set the tone early, pressing high and trying to go back to front quickly.

That approach resulted in a chance two minutes in as Séamus Coleman, winning his 80th cap, got forward to latch onto a forward pass from Chiedozie Ogbene.

It eventually fell to the lively Moylan, whose near post shot forced a corner after Mahmoud Abunada made the save.

The home crowd did not have to wait long for the first goal and the nascent Moylan would be involved again.

The Lincoln City man won a free kick down the left flank before dusting himself down and curling over an inswinging delivery into the Qatari box, with Collins rising highest to nod the ball past the flat-footed Abunada and into the back of the net.

A tennis ball on the pitch during the international friendly match between Republic of Ireland and Qatar at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
Tennis balls were thrown towards the pitch at various intervals during the first half

Ireland continued to dominate the early proceedings but whilst a Qatar defender was receiving treatment prior to an Irish corner in the 11th minute, fans situated at that end of the ground threw the first volley of tennis balls onto the pitch in protest, with a Palestinian flag also briefly waved from within the congregation behind the goal.

The match resumed quickly however, and Troy Parrott had his first sighter from 25 yards out which flashed just wide.

The pace of the game dropped thereafter, although with Ireland still keeping Qatar penned into their own half.

In the 20th minute, the game was paused for a second time as tennis balls were again thrown towards the pitch amid the ongoing protest.

Supporters protest during the international friendly match between Republic of Ireland and Qatar at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
A protestor waves a Palestinian flag during the first half

When the on-field action resumed, Ireland got forward again with Jayson Molumby getting a long distance strike on target after Moylan had made himself a nuisance in the Qatar box.

On 37 minutes, Moylan got in down the right side, his lofted cross finding the head of Parrott.

He managed to direct it towards Ogbene but the Cork man found his route to goal blocked as Ireland won another corner.

On 40 minutes, whilst Qatar were delivering a free kick into the Irish box, the tennis ball protest resumed, although few reached the pitch this time. Hallgrimsson could be seen removing a couple of the balls which did land on the field of play just past the dugouts.

However, a flashpoint would occur just before half-time as Moylan's evening was brought to an end.

As the ex-Shelbourne man challenged for a loose ball in the centre of the park with Qatar centre-back Jassem Gaber, he caught his opponent on the top of his foot in the process.

Much to Moylan and his team-mates’ surprise, Northern Irish referee Jamie Robinson produced a red card and sent the Ireland player off.

With the sudden numerical disadvantage, the second half had the potential to be a different proposition to what had been a dominant first for the hosts.

However, much like their rare forward forays in the first half, Qatar's first opening of the second half on 52 minutes was off target, Edmilson Junior blazing over from distance after Ahmed Fathi had nicked the ball off Jayson Molumby.

But Ireland did not appear overly encumbered as they won successive corners at the other end as the game ticked past the hour mark.

Qatar did offer a reminder of their intermittent threat shortly after as Mohamed Al-Mannai’s cross towards Ahmed Alaaeldin - both part of a quintuple substitution five minutes earlier - forced a corner which Ireland ultimately dealt with.

On 68 minutes, Alaaeldin lashed one well over from the edge of the Irish box.

However, two minutes later, a speculative strike from Yusuf Abdurasig deflected off Collins. It almost wrong-footed Caoimhín Kelleher, but the Cork man readjusted to make the save and preserve his clean sheet.

On 74 minutes, Hallgrimsson sent on left back Ndaba and 18-year-old winger Umeh for their debuts, the latter making a precocious start as he beat a man and saw a shot blocked.

Shortly after Qatar made another raft of substitutions, referee Robinson evened up the numbers, showing a red card to the visitors' sub Almoez Ali after he tussled with and then felled Molumby off the ball.

Ireland almost doubled their lead with six minutes to go as a Jamie McGrath free kick towards the far post was headed across goal by Collins. But neither Parrott nor half-time sub James Abankwah could get on the end of it.

Jaden Umeh of Republic of Ireland in action against Karim Boudiaf of Qatar during the international friendly match between Republic of Ireland and Qatar at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
Jaden Umeh was among three Irish debutants at Aviva Stadium

It would be Parrott's last involvement as another 18-year-old, Tottenham Hotspur striker Mason Melia with the number nine on his back, came on to join Umeh for teenage kicks in the closing stages as the Boys in Green held out for the win.

Hallgrimsson and his squad will now turn their attention to Montreal where they will face World Cup co-hosts Canada in the early hours of 6 June Irish time.

Republic of Ireland: Caoimhin Kelleher; Séamus Coleman, Jake O'Brien, Nathan Collins (capt), Dara O’Shea (James Abankwah '45), Liam Scales (Corrie Ndaba ‘74); Jayson Molumby, Jamie McGrath; Chiedozie Ogbene (Jaden Umeh ‘74), Jack Moylan; Troy Parrott (Mason Melia ‘89).

Qatar: Mahmoud Abunada; Pedro Miguel, Jassem Gaber (Karim Boudiaf ‘57), Issa Laye (Lucas Mendes ‘77), Ahmed Fathi (Mohamed Al-Mannai ‘57 (Hassan Alhaydos ‘85)); Yusuf Adburisag (Tahsin Jamshid ‘77), Homam Elamin (Al Hashmi Al Hussain ‘77), Edmilson Junior (Ahmed Alaaeldin ‘57), Akram Afif (Almoez Ali ‘57); Boualem Khoukhi (capt) (Assim Madibo ‘57), Ayoub Al-Oui (Rayyan Al-Ali ‘77).

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