Rocco Vata hits a second-half hat-trick as Ireland crush San Marino with dominant display

Ireland’s U-21s avoided the unthinkable with a dominant second-half display to crush the bottom seeds and remain second in Group A, as Jim Crawford’s side target a first European Championship appearance.

A Rocco Vata hat-trick and Sinclair Armstrong brace helped Ireland to their fourth win of the campaign, while senior-bound Andrew Moran and substitute Armstrong Oko-Flex also added to a scoreline that Ireland richly deserved, in a clash that felt like a training game at times in Serravalle.

With group leaders Italy also defeating Latvia this evening, the Young Boys in Green remain one point behind the top seeds and four ahead of Norway in third, who have played a game fewer and host San Marino next Tuesday.

But here, Ireland utterly dominated from start to finish in a professional performance with captain Joe Hodge, Moran, Vata and Armstrong all impressing as they more than doubled the scoreline when they faced the bottom seeds in Cork last year.

The first chance of the evening fell to left winger Vata, who saw his effort well saved by home ‘keeper Matteo Battistini from close range after Anselmo Garcia MacNulty’s header was blocked.

On 16 minutes, Hodge who, with Moran, will also step up to the seniors for Tuesday’s clash with Switzerland, found his QPR teammate Armstrong with a clever quick throw-in but the striker’s effort was denied by Battistini.

Sheffield United’s Sam Curtis and Norwich’s Springett (on loan at Northampton Town) linked up nicely on the right flank several times but the hosts were doing enough to frustrate Ireland early on.

But Crawford’s side finally got their breakthrough on 26 minutes in a move that began with an excellent driving run by Hodge straight through San Marino’s midfield. His pass found Moran just inside the box, who cleverly flicked Armstrong through on the left and the Dubliner made no mistake to bag his sixth goal at U-21 level. Now 1-0 up, Ireland could breathe.

After several missed chances, a more ruthless edge was needed after the break to avoid the unthinkable and that’s exactly what Ireland produced on 53 minutes as Vata’s free-kick was spilled by the ‘keeper before the onrushing Moran was first to the rebound to bag his second goal of the campaign.

Three minutes later it was three as Armstrong converted Matt Healy’s fine cross from the right flank to make sure of the three points.

After scoring a brace against the bottom seeds in Cork, Celtic winger Vata repeated that trick on the hour mark, scoring twice within two minutes to put Ireland 5-0 up.

The 18-year-old found his first after a terrible clearance from San Marino captain Giacomo Matteoni while barely 60 seconds later, his sweet strike found the bottom corner from range before Brighton striker Mark O’Mahony was introduced for his U-21 debut.

FC Zurich winger Oko-Flex made it six on 73 minutes, finding the top corner courtesy of a fine ball by Hodge before Vata secured the match ball in injury time, turning in Lawal’s effort on the line.

After Friday’s walk in the park, up next for Ireland is a huge double-header next against Turkey (away) and Latvia (home) next September. But for now it’s job done as Crawford’s men left the world’s fifth-smallest country with the all-important three points.

San Marino U-21: Battistini; Benvenuti (Terenzi 80), Matteoni, M Sancisi (Zavoli 63); Valli Casadei, N Sancisi (Giacopetti 63), Chiaruzzi (Casadei 80); Giocondi, Benvenuti; Zannoni (Dolcini 73), D’Addario.

Ireland U-21: Keeley; Curtis (Grehan 65), Lawal, Garcia MacNulty, Adaramola; Healy, Hodge (c); Vata (Phillips 75), Moran (Gilsenan 70), Springett (Oko-Flex 65); Armstrong (O’Mahony 65).

Ref: Viktor Kopiievskyi (Ukraine).