Under 18 International
John Coughlan Memorial Cup. 2nd Leg
Republic of Ireland 3
Wales 2 (Agg 3-3)
(Wales won 5-3 on penalties)
Wales struck late to break the hearts of the Irish players at the RSC on Wednesday in the second leg of the annual John Coughlan Memorial Cup competition.
The visitors led one nil from the first game in Graun Park and when they took the lead in this contest after 19 minutes the writing looked well and truly on the wall for the host but they fought back to lead 3-1 with just three minutes on the clock but a wonder goal scored by Ifan Jones took the game to a penalty shoot-out and it was Wales who came out on top from the spot-kicks.
Wales went in front on 19 minutes. Jamie Roberts sent over a low free kick from the left and the Irish goalkeeper Sean Mac Uidhlinn could only parry his effort and that gave Lewis Evans the chance to score from close range.
Ireland equalised on 32 minutes. Evan Coyne floated a free kick in from the left and Connal Flood headed to the net from eight yards.
Ireland went in front in fortuitous fashion on 42 minutes. Evan Coyne cracked in a free kick from just outside the left side of the penalty area and Tyler Brock who had come back to help out his defensive colleague only succeeded in slicing the ball past his own goalkeeper Andrew Wycherley.
Ireland took up the running in the second half and they began pressing the visitors back on defence at every possible opportunity but goal No 3 came from a brilliant free kick on the hour mark.

: A very proud Dunphy family at the RSC as Ireland took on Wales in the Under 18 International.  L-R : Martina Dunphy, Johnny Dunphy, Craig Dunphy, Reece Dunphy.

: A very proud Dunphy family at the RSC as Ireland took on Wales in the Under 18 International. L-R : Martina Dunphy, Johnny Dunphy, Craig Dunphy, Reece Dunphy.

Left-full back Scott McCarthy was the player who stepped forward to take the kick from 30 yards and he somehow managed to beat Andrew Wycherley with a blistering strike. Both sides made numerous substitutions during the course of the second half and one of those changes saw Craig Dunphy replace Sean Mac Uidhlinn in goal so it was another great day for the Tramore goalkeeper but on 87 minutes he was beaten by a remarkable shot by Ifan Jones.
The tricky midfield player won possession of the ball 25 yards from goal and he somehow managed to find the roof of the net from a very acute angle.
That wonder goal took the contest to penalties and Ifan Jones, Josh Maksimovic, Dan Dascalu, Jamie Roberts and Sam Jones all managed to beat Craig Dunphy. Connal Flood and Evan Lynch were successful with the first two Irish penalties as was Patrick Crowley with the fourth spot kick but unfortunately Jordan O’Regan, who took the third penalty, saw his effort saved and that miss proved decisive.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND:Sean Mac Uidhlinn, Troy O’Sullivan, Patrick Crowley, Luke Rossiter, Trevor Daly, Sean Rogers, Scott McCarthy, Evan Coyne, Fionn Curran, Michael Russell, Connal Flood.
SUBS: Craig Dunphy for Mac Uidhlinn (57) Lee Fetherston for Curran (57) Tony Archbold for Rogers (57) Ciaran Kearney for Coyne (65) Evan Lynch for McCarthy (68) Nathan Ward for Russell (68) Conor Walsh for Daly (82) Dean Swords for Rossiter (82) Jordan O’Regan for Flood (88)
WALES: Andrew Wycherley, Jordan Pike, Tyler Aylward, Ronan Templeton, Sam Jones, Jamie Roberts, Lewis Evans, Tyler Brock, Ben Nash, Ifan Jones, Jack Rimmer.
SUBS: Cai Owen for Aylward (41) Jack Hurley for Brock (51) Sean McCaffrey for Pike (57) Josh Maksimovic for Evans (65) Tom Bibby for Roberts (68) Dan Dascalu for Rimmer (68) Anthony Marshall for Owen (82) Ryan Goldston for Wycherley (82)
REFEREE: Andrew Mullally. Assistants. Adam Tszample, Richie Brazil. 4th Official. Gavin Keyes.