U-21 v Armenia

Givens has faith in Galway ace


Republic of Ireland under-21 manager Don Givens has invested his faith in Galway United youngster Seamus Conneely.

Conneely comes into the side against Armenia today (Tuesday) for his first start at international under-21 level.

Regularly utilised at right back by Galway this season, he has been compelled to show his versatility in a green shirt following a spate of injuries to first-choice players.

With Everton’s former Sligo Rovers youngster Seamus Coleman, Crystal Palace’s Sean Scannell and Ipswich’s Owen Garvan all unavailable to play in Yerevan, and four other certain starters forced out before the squad departed last week, Conneely will play in midfield in Yerevan.

Nevertheless, Givens has no doubt about his ability to leave his mark. He said: “[We have] seven of the original squad gone and all of them would have been in contention to start.

“You sometimes lose squad players but the likes of Alan Judge, Brendan Moloney, James McCarthy and Ian Bermingham were all starters for us and they had to pull out already.

“It opens doors for other people. Seamus Conneely is playing everywhere for us. He made his debut at centre-back and now he’s playing midfield, where I know he has played for his club. I think he can do it.”

givens out

Givens Out !

Steve Heighway In !

Givens is a joke. Should have been shown the door a good few years ago

An under-strength Republic of Ireland Under-21 team slipped to a disappointing 4-1 defeat to Armenia in Yerevan.

Without seven first team players through injury and suspension, Ireland had to ring in the changes.

Ireland’s first effort on goal came on 18 minutes when Graham Carey’s free kick from 20 yards went narrowly over the crossbar.

Cillian Sheridan almost broke the deadlock on 22 minutes. Lanre Oyebanjo played a neat one-two with Jay O’Shea before crossing into the box. However, Sheridan’s header went wide.

When the opening goal did arrive, however, it was for the home side. Hovhannes Goharyan received the ball on the left and played in Henrikh Mkitaryan who produced some clever footwork to make space and fire past Shane Redmond from 16 yards.

The hosts almost doubled the lead on 35 minutes. Graham Carey was dispossessed in midfield and a swift counter-attack saw Karlen Mkrtchyan’s shot blocked before Redmond produced a good save from Mkhitaryan’s rebound.

James Collins almost got Ireland back into the game on 44 minutes after he ran onto Redmond’s long clearance, but the striker’s effort went over the bar.

Callum Morris was the next Irish player to pose a threat when he connected with Stephen Gleeson’s free kick on 59 minutes. However, his glancing header went narrowly wide.

Just one minute later, the hosts doubled their advantage. The lively Mkhitaryan played a one-two with Malakyan before calmly slotting past Redmond from just inside the penalty area.

Ireland pulled one back on 64 minutes – Seamus Conneely crossed into the box and Cillian Sheridan rose highest to head past Hovhannisyan.

Advantage was restored on 73 minutes, however, when Hovhannes Goharyan’s brilliant effort from 20 yards sailed into the top corner of the Irish net.

Mkhitaryan secured his hat-trick from the penalty spot on 82 minutes after Oyebanjo was adjudged to have taken Malakyan down.

Armenia: Hovhannisyahn, Edigaryan (Khachatryan, 72 mins.), Yespashyan, Arakelyan, Hayrapetyan, Manoyan, Voskanyan, Mkrtchyan, Malakyan, Mkhitaryan, Goharyan (Badalyan, 90 mins.)

Substitutes not used: Fishyan, Ghazaryan, Andrikyan, Yagan, Tadevosyan

Republic of Ireland: Shane Redmond, Lanre Oyebanjo, Cian Hughton, Callum Morris, Darren Dennehy, Seamus Conneely, Graham Carey (Conor Clifford h/t), James Collins (Paddy Madden, 65 mins.), Jay O’Shea, Cillian Sheridan, Stephen Gleeson

Substitutes not used: James McKeown, David Meyler, Kevin Long

Referee: Radek Phihoda (Czech Republic)

Givens has to go.

thats a shocker of a result

im worried lads for our players because, sean mcCaffrey has the best bunch of under 19 players we have had for years... We have not seen this talent for so long.....

HOWEVER, i am really fearful that Givens will get his hands on these lads and it will lead to .........

bust ups,

bad results,

waste of talent,

bad morale,

and much more.... He should be let go...he really should...

I would love to see Kerr get the job some day, but it's not very likely.