Estonia 1 Rep Ireland 1:THE REPUBLIC of Ireland's under-21 side were held to a frustrating draw by Estonia in a Uefa Championships qualifier they dominated in Rakvere yesterday.
Don Givens’s side struck the home woodwork on three occasions as they claimed their first point in Group Two.
Striker Kaimar Saag turned swiftly to fire low into the bottom corner from 12 yards to open the scoring after four minutes.
But Cillian Sheridan equalised with a long-range shot that squirmed under keeper Stanislav Pedok three minutes later.
Owen Garvan went close with another long-range effort after 15 minutes which the goalkeeper fumbled. From the resulting corner, Sheridan headed just wide.
Twice Sheridan then headed against the woodwork before Estonia escaped again in the 41st minute when Garvan drilled in a brilliant long-range free-kick that struck the crossbar.
Soon after the restart, Judge volleyed over from a Jay O’Shea cross. Substitute Seán Scannell then shot wide after 74 minutes but Irish keeper Shane Redmond produced a top class save to deny Saag a winner following a rare Estonia chance in the 76th minute.
ESTONIA: Pedok; Veis, Kallaste, Jahhimovits, Morozov, Puri, Mosnikov, Luts, Alliku, Frolov, Saag. Subs: Anier for Alliku 55 mins; Sillaste for Mosnikov 68 mins; Taar for Saag 90 mins.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Redmond (Burton Albion); Davies (Reading), Moloney (Notts County), Spillane (Norwich), Bermingham (Shamrock Rovers), Gleeson (MK Dons), McCarthy (Wigan), Garvan (Ipswich), Judge (Plymouth), Sheridan (Plymouth), O’Shea (Birmingham). Subs: Collins (Aston Villa) for McCarthy 67 mins; Scannell (Crystal Palace) for O’Shea 73 mins.
Referee: Victor Shvetsov (Ukraine).
