In an excellent FA Youth Cup Final first leg played before 9.902 fans at St. Mary’s, there were some sparkling performances from the Irish lads on show for both Southampton and Ipswich Town. The tie ended 2-2 and is superbly poised for the second leg at Portman Road on Friday next. That match will be shown live on Sky Sports 3 commencing at 19.30 hours.

Southampton, who have already won the Youth League Championship by more than twenty points and have completed a league double over the Tractor Boys, entered the first leg as overwhelming favourites to lift the Trophy. Ipswich were without their leading scorer, Billy Clarke from Cork, through an injury sustained in the dying moments of the semi-final against Tottenham.

The match was played in a tremendous spirit throughout and provided some brilliant entertainment for the crowd and the TV audience at home. The match was keenly contested with Ipswich providing the more fluent passing sequences while Southampton, who also showed fine technical ability, looking to the blistering pace of wide men Nathan Dyer and Theo Walcot to provide the service to Irish U19 striker Leon Best.

Ipswich shaded the great majority of the first half but just could not get the final accurate touch on some promising openings. On the stroke of half-time, Southampton took the lead from the penalty spot. A run through the middle by Walcot was brought to an abrupt end and the warranted penalty was easily despatched by McGoldrick.

The second half started with Ipswich again dominating the midfield area with their crisper passing and they equalised in the 48th minute with a stunning right foot shot from 28 yards by Ballincollig’s, Cathal Lordan. Ten minutes later, Lordan arrived late in the box following a neat Ipswich move down the left and from 12 yards drove home another splendid goal.

Southampton were visibly shaken by events but quickly recovered their composure and in the 61st minute they equalised. The ball broke from the body of goalkeeper, Shane Supple who had made a fine plunging dive at the feet of Walcot, to Leon Best and he controlled the ball and fired a shot into the far corner of the net.

Immediately following the restart, Michael Synott from Meath, who had an outstanding game at right back for Ipswich had to leave the pitch with a knee injury which makes him very doubtful for Friday’s second leg. Irish woe continued further on 82 minutes when Best, who has been selected for the Irish U19 squad which travels to Serbia for the UEFA Elite qualifying group next weekend, also left the pitch.

While both sides tired somewhat in the later stages, the players nevertheless continued to provide some exciting interludes which augurs well for the second leg.

In addition to the aforementioned Synott and the scorers Best and Lordan, the Dublin born goalkeeper Shane Supple showed superb handling skills for Ipswich while his midfield team mate Owen Garvan was prominent with his delicate left foot passing skills.