Republic of Ireland 2 (Doyle 18, Bell 20)
Team: Murphy (Swansea City); Whelan (Bury), Fitzgerald (Blackburn Rovers), Paisley (Longford Town), Kendrick (1860 Munich); Flood (Manchester City), Bell (Rushden and Diamonds), Keegan (Scunthorpe United), McMahon (West Ham United); Daly (Stockport County), Doyle (Cork City).
Subs: Walters (Bolton Wanderers), Elliott (Manchester City), Kearney (Cork City), Deane (Charlton Athletic), Capper (Scarborough), Henderson (Aston Villa).
Italy 0
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Belfield Park, Dublin, Kick-off: 7.30pm
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Goals from Rushden and Diamonds’ midfielder David Bell and Cork City striker Kevin Doyle gave Irish U20 boss a morale-boosting send off before next month’s World Youth Championships in the Emirates with a 2-0 win tonight over their Italian counterparts at Belfield Park.
Smith names his touring party on Friday and this well constructed with over the current European U19 champions will give him plenty of food for thought.
Doyle put the Republic in front after 18 minutes when a Daryl McMahon corner was only half cleared and when Stockport’s Jon Daly headed the ball back across the Italian goalmouth, it was Doyle who reacted quickest to hammer high into the visitors’ net.
And Smith had to wait just two minutes later for a second, with Bell popping up for a debut goal. A buoyant Doyle started the move on the halfway line, and he linked well with Manchester City’s Willo Flood who raced down the right wing. He collected the ball and slung in a pinpoint cross for Bell to slot home at the far post.
The visitors had chances to equalise before the break through Simone Masini and midfielder Roberto Massaro, but they remain scoreless at the break. Both sides made a number of substitutions at the interval with Daryl McMahon (cut knee) and Dorencio Creanza (possible broken nose and ankle) being forced to go to hospital.
A lacklustre second period was brightened by Republic substitute goalkeeper Wayne Henderson saving brilliantly at the feet of Lorenzo Crocetti on 56 minutes. But the Irish ran out deserved winners, and with September’s 3-0 win over the Czech Republic, can go to the Emirates with some degree of confidence.