McAteer and Cullen help Ireland land top spot

BY JACK KENNEDY

Gavin McAteer and Josh Cullen played a big role for the Republic of Ireland in Tuesday’s final group stage game at the U17 World Cup against Paraguay.

In a cagey encounter in Doha, the Finn Harps pair played the opening 62 minutes of the match which ended 0-0. Corey Cummins-Sheridan was an unused sub.

Neither team were able to get a firm grip on the game and that led to very few goalscoring opportunities in the opening half but as the game progressed into the latter stages chances arose for both sides. However, both defences remained strong.

After 90 minutes, the game finished scoreless in a result that may have favoured both sides. The draw sees Ireland top the group, while the point for Paraguay means they progress as the best third-placed team.