Ireland Men’s Under-15s lost out to an Australia Under-16 Schoolboys team 3-1 in their first home international of 2024 this afternoon.

Up against a physically imposing Australian side, Jason Donohue’s squad had to battle a visiting team almost two years their senior and gale force winds at the FAI National Training Centre, Abbotstown.

Cork City’s David Dunne topped off an excellent display for the young Boys in Green with Ireland’s only goal but it was two strikes from Munib Smajic and a nicely controlled finished from Riley Zsuzsa that saw the Australians come out on top.

Ireland were coming into the game off the back of stellar performances at the UEFA Development Tournament in Serbia last November, where they overcame Greece, Serbia, and Venezuela.

There was a respectable attendance at the in-house friendly as the tone of the contest was set with a number of crunching tackles in the early stages. Australia were using the conditions to their advantage and it was from a corner that they got themselves ahead when Smajic’s deftly placed dink into the bottom corner gave them the lead in the 6th minute.

Ireland looked to respond right away, Richard Ferizaj had the ball in the net but his effort was disallowed for an offside.

Ireland's greatest threat came on the left flank, with number 11 Dunne giving the towering defender Lachlan Henderson much to do on the right side.

Dunne's hard work paid off when he refused to give up on a hopeful long ball and converted in the 17th minute after goalkeeper Mason Jones-Hartnig mistimed his interception and Dunne pounced to bring Ireland level.

Donohue's side could have been ahead when a drive from Ireland's lively forward TJ Molloy skimmed the crossbar and a free-kick by Danny Burke flashed just wide of the post.

But Australia punished Ireland for not being clinical in front of goal when Zsuzsa drove the ball into the bottom left hand corner just before the half-time whistle.

When play restarted for the second half, Australia solidified their lead with a third goal, Smajic scoring his second from another corner.

Ireland kept the bulk of possession for the remainder of the half, however the swirling wind played to the visitors’ advantage. The Australian defence kept its nerve and they claimed their first win over Ireland at this level in the now annual friendly.

Speaking after the game Ireland Men’s Under-15 Head Coach Jason Donohue said: “This game was a great opportunity for us to give eight players their international debuts and in doing so have increased the player pool exposed to international football which is great. That’s 28 players capped for the Under-15s so far this season which I’m pleased about.

“We also had an opportunity to try a different system and shape and we had to adapt. I think the boys have learned when you’re coming up against players who are physically bigger you have to move the ball quicker, but this is all part of their development.

“Next for us are friendlies in Wexford where we’ll have two teams competing against Hungary and Wales and it’s another test for this group of players which I’m looking forward to.”

Ireland: Twohig (Wasilewski, 46), Dumigan (Callery, 55), Spaight, Burke (Gabbidon, 46), Spelman (Ikechukwu, 55), Quigley (Collins, 46), Prizeman (C) (Cunningham, 55), Ozhianvuna, Ferizaj (Sullivan, 46), Dunne, Molloy (Duffy, 46)

Australia: Jones-Hartnig, Love, Smajic, Badolato, Butler, Sandy, Nealon, Nunes, Dobson, Henderson, Zsuzsa

Substitutes: Coutsoumbes, Ryu, McDonald, Sacks, Fowler, Porter, Marshall-Witte

Words by Christine Allen