Jim Crawford’s young boys in green shared the points with a fast paced Slovakian side in the early stages of booking a spot in the Tournament in Albania and Serbia. The match was held in Turners Cross in Cork.
Goalscorers:
Ireland: Jamie Mullins (5′) Jad Hakki (60′)
Slovakia: Melia (OG 2′) Marcelli (44′)
3,847 Spectators attended the last home game of 2025 for Jim Crawford’s Ireland side. The game which was live on RTÈ was fast paced and portrayed League of Ireland talent as well as those playing abroad. Many Slovakian flags were also visible in Turners Cross in Cork. Young Ireland fans were loud and proud as the tricolour was also to be seen around the grounds. Both sides came into this game undefeated.
2 goals came in 2 minutes as Daniel Dahiel of Slovakia striked the ball from outside the box which deflected off Mason Melia’s head. However within less than a minute, Wycombe Wanderers’s Jamie Mullins hit the ball home as a volley to level the sides. Mullins in particular had a great performance recieving the Man of the Match award from RTÈ. My man of the match would have to be Noah Jauny. The Brest (French side) keeper dealt outstandingly with Slovakia’s fast paced play. Before the first half ended The St Pats man Melia was booked for a penalty appeal and Slovakia scored yet another deflection under the foot of Marcelli.
James Akachukwu had a great game for Ireland in the defensive fold. Jacob Slater was also good in defence. While Ireland did well in play, Slovakia were the better team for a bit of the second half. Cork natives Leon Ayinde and Mark O’Mahony both Ex Cork City players and Shamrock Rovers front man Michael Noonan got time on the turf in the second half. It would be a Sligo Rovers Midfielder that would level the sides to the Final score. On the 60th minute, Jad Hakki scored a deflected shot into the back of the net. Marcelli stood out for me for Slovakia. He threatened Jauny in the Shed end goals several times in the second half.
The side now travel to Birmingham next to face England as they remain undefeated and second in their qualitying group to Slovakia. Crawford should be happy with his side getting a draw from a tough encounter. It was brilliant to see so many LOI connections in this Irish team tonight with 18 squad members coming up through LOI academies. Cathal O’Sullivan was present with the squad in familae territory to him but could not touch a ball due to an ACL injury. O’Sullivan had only recently broke into the u21 National side.