INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGE TROPHY/League of Ireland U-23 1 Belgium 2:A BRILLIANT stoppage time winner from their captain David Hubert stunned a lacklustre Ireland at Dalymount Park to put Belgium into the final of the International Challenge Trophy where they'll meet either Italy or England in the spring.
With Ireland down to 10 men following the sending off of Conor Kenna for a foul on Jelle Vossen a minute from time, Hubert (19) struck from 30 yards four minutes into time added on to give Irish keeper Barry Murphy no chance as the ball flew into the corner of the net.
Needing just a draw to qualify, Shamrock Rovers' right-back Ger O'Brien struck on 80 minutes to appear to rescue a below par Irish display, firing home from 10 yards from skipper Paul Keegan's free-kick in to the near post.
Vossen had given Belgium the lead on 64 minutes. Ireland lost possession in midfield and Genk striker Vossen then availed of a slip by defender Gavin Peers to skip across the advancing Murphy and slide the ball to the net.
A minute earlier Denis Behan had brought a dour second half to life when collecting Conor Powell's pass to see his deflected shot come back off a post.
Conscious of needing just a point, Ireland manager Pat Fenlon went with a conservative 4-5-1 line-up with Behan the lone striker.
Though fielding an under-20 side, the Belgians were nonetheless athletic, quick and technically good and they caused Ireland problems early on.
The influential Hubert forced Murphy into turning a 12th minute free-kick out for the first corner of the night. Vossen then failed to get what would have been a scoring touch to Joachim Mununga's delivery.
Vossen was then given time and space to surge forward and shoot off target as the Belgians maintained their bright start.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Murphy (Shamrock Rovers); O'Brien (Shamrock Rovers), Kenna (UCD), Peers (Sligo Rovers), Powell (Bohemians); O'Shea (Galway United), O'Donnell (Bohemians), Keegan (Drogheda United), Rice (Shamrock Rovers), Brennan (Bohemians); Behan (Cork City). Subs: Kelly (Bohemians), Gaynor (Cobh Ramblers) for O'Shea and Brennan (both 65 mins), Rowe (Bray Wanderers) for Rice (79 mins), Coleman (Sligo Rovers) for Kelly (90 mins).
BELGIUM: Goeman (Lens); Tamsin (Turnhout), van Gijseghem (Mouscron), Servaes (Anderlecht), Huyghebaert (Auzerre); Mununga (Mechelen), Hubert (Genk), Vermeerbergen (Beerschot), Papassarantis (Roeselare); Mathyssen (Waasland), Vossen (Genk), Subs: Buyens (Lierse) for Mununga, Wittesaele (Dender) for Mathyssen), Kums (Kortrijk) for van Gijseghem (all at half-time), Ngadrira (Mechelen) for Papassarantis (84 mins.).
Referee: Neil Doyle (Ireland).
