Ireland Under-21s suffered late heartbreak conceding a stoppage time equaliser to Norway in Turner’s Cross.

The young Boys in Green were minutes away from securing a play-off place but Andreas Schjelderup cancelled out Sean Roughan’s opener for Ireland in the 93^rd minute of the contest to make it 1-1.

Jim Crawford’s team now require a win in Italy to secure top spot or better Norway’s result to finish in the top two places.

Ireland coped well throughout the game despite losing both Joe Hodge and Mason Melia this week through injury and being without suspended top scorer Sinclair Armstrong.

There was little in the way of goalmouth action as second versus third in the group began to realise the enormity of what was at stake, but that was until just after the half-hour mark when on-loan Shamrock Rovers hitman Johnny Kenny flew into the area, down the left inside channel and forced stopper Sander Tangvk into a very sharp save low down at the near post.

The stop-start nature of the tentative first half seemed to suit Norway, as Jan Peder Jalland's side looked to play the game on their terms, enjoying good spells of possession.

Just minutes after the restart though, Ireland injected some pace into proceedings with Kenny going agonisingly close again. 

Skipper Andrew Moran, the creative hub for the Irish, played a smart ball to the marauding Roughan, who drilled a powerful first-time strike that wasn’t held by Tangvk. 

The save from the initial shot flew out at an awkward height to Kenny, who tried his best to adjust his body but couldn't keep his follow-up on target.

Ireland began to get some joy down their left, and moments later Moran looked in again but saw his effort take a slight bobble at the crucial moment.

Just before Jim Crawford was about to ring the changes with a quarter of an hour remaining Ireland deservedly got in front following a wonderfully worked move. 

Matt Healy delivered a brilliant ball over the top to Kenny, who controlled expertly before flashing a low ball across goal, finding Roughan at the back post who, in turn, showed great composure to smash home from close range.

The changes did come as Ireland’s fresh legs went from searching for the elusive winner to being needed to get them over the line, and their task was made all the more difficult with three attacking changes for Norway shortly after their introduction.

With just seconds remaining, much like their last visit to Turner’s Cross and at the same end, Ireland were hit with a late sucker punch in injury time as the visitors equalised in contentious fashion with Anselmo Garcia-McNulty looking to have been fouled in the build-up.

The ball eventually fell to Schjelderup at the back post who tapped home to break Irish hearts.

Ireland: Tiernan Brooks; James Abankwah, Anselmo Garcia-McNulty, Adegboyega; Sam Curtis, Matt Healy, Killian Phillips (Baba Adeeko 77), Sean Roughan; Andrew Moran; Aidomo Emakhu (Rocco Vata 77, Johnny Kenny (Mark O’Mahony 77)

Norway: Sander Tangvk; Oliver Braude (Sindre Walle Egeli 81), Tobias Guddal, Robin Ostrom, Mathias Fjortoft Lovik; Isak Hensen-Aaroen (Thelo Aasgaard 81); Eivind Helland, Kristian Arnstad; Andreas Schjelderup (Brage Skaret 90+4), Joel Mvuka, Lasse Nordas (Elias Melkersen 81)

Referee: Javier Alberola Rojas (Spain)
 

Report by Darryl Geraghty