Donegan starts for Ireland but Poles inflict heavy defeat

Hazel Donegan from Athlone started for the Ireland Under-17 women's team in their UEFA European Championship Round 1 qualifier away to Poland today (Wednesday).

Having been introduced as a late substitute in last Sunday's 3-1 defeat to Iceland, Donegan was handed a starting opportunity up front for the Poland clash played in Piotrków Trybunalski.

But despite Ireland making a bright start with a goal from Rebecca Devereux inside two minutes, the Poles went on to claim an emphatic 6-1 victory.

Donegan, who plays for Athlone Town, was replaced after 66 minutes by Hannah O’Brien.

Poland's goals were scored by Julia Ostrowska (two), Anna Skrzypczyk, Zuzanna Witek (penalty), Oliwia Zwiazek and Oliwia Lapinska.

The incident leading to the penalty on 30 minutes saw Ireland's Keeva Flynn sent off for a handball which prevented a Poland goalscoring opportunity, leaving the girls in green down to ten players for the remainder.

The result means Ireland have lost all three of their recent qualifiers, with Norway claiming a 1-0 win over James Scott's side on October 12.

Hazel also plays Gaelic football for Garrycastle and the talented attacker scored 2-2 in the club's recent Westmeath U-16 Division One championship semi-final win over Coralstown-Kinnegad.

Ireland team (v Poland): Clodagh Fitzgerald; Keira Sena, Keeva Flynn, Clodagh Daly, Lucy O’Rourke; Eve O’Carroll, Emma Duffy, Katie Lawlee; Sorcha Melia, Hazel Donegan, Rebecca Devereux. Subs used: Anna Hegarty for O'Rourke (36), Aoibhe Brennan for Melia (66), Hannah O’Brien for Donegan (66), Amy Tierney for Sena (83), Katie O’Reilly for Devereux (83).