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Ireland and Turkey end friendly in tie

Ireland's David Connolly, left, and Turkey's Alpay Ozalan battle near the Turkish goal during the first half of their International friendly match at Lansdowne Road, Dublin, Tuesday. PHOTO: EPA

Late substitute Richard Dunne volleyed an injury-time equalizer on Tuesday after a blunder by Turkey's second replacement goalkeeper as Ireland maintained its nine-game unbeaten record under Brian Kerr with a 2-2 tie in friendly action.

The Irish trailed to an 85th minute strike by Okan Yilmaz when they won a corner on the left and Zafer Ozgultekin failed to gather Stephen Carr's flag kick. In a scramble in front of goal, Dunne fired a right foot volley into an unguarded net with Zafer out of position.

World Cup semifinalists, the Turks thought they had made it 3-2 at Lansdowne Road when Okan Buruk headed home a left wing cross but it was incorrectly ruled out for offside.

They suffered another blow when World Cup 'keeper Rustu Recber hobbled off the field in the 61st minute with a knee injury after a mis-hit clearance. His replacement, Omer Catkic made a series of blunders and was replaced by Zafer.

With neither team in action in the latest round of Euro 2004 games on Wednesday, they chose the opportunity to play each other. Ireland has just one more Group 10 game at Switzerland Oct. 11 on the night the Turks host England in Group 7. With most of the Irish players with English clubs, it was an ideal test for Senol Gunes team ahead of that game in Istanbul.

Lineups * Ireland: Nick Colgan, Steve Finnan, Andy O'Brien, Gary Breen, Ian Harte, Healy, Colin Mark Kinsella, Damien Duff, Kevin Kilbane, David Connolly, Gary Doherty * Turkey: Rustu Recber, Emre Belozoglu, Bulent Korkmaz, Fatih Aykel, Alpay Ozalan, Ergun Penbe, Tugay Kerimoglu, Hakan Sukur, Tuncay Sanli, Tayfun Korkut, Hakan Sas * Referee: Jan Wegerees, from the Netherlands

The Irish went ahead in the 35th when David Connolly outpaced and held off Alpay Ozalan, turned inside him and past another defender before firing a low right foot shot between Rustu and his right hand post

A minute later Alpay, watched by his club manager, Aston Villa's David O'Leary, blundered again when he gifted the ball to Gary Doherty whose low angle shot was blocked by Rustu.

But the Turks produced some standout midfield play, repeatedly cutting through the Irish defense with some precision passing.

Turkey made four changes at half time and drew level through Hakan Sukur seven minutes into the second half.

Tugay Kerimoglu, the orchestrator of many of its moves, played Ergun down the left and his cross was headed home at the near post by the lanky striker who also played for Blackburn last season before returning home.

With his first touch, Rustu's replacement, Omer Catkic, failed to hold a long range shot and the ball spilled onto the post.

The backup 'keeper gave his defenders another fright a minute later when he decided to dribble the ball away from his own goal-line under pressure from Doherty after collecting a backpass.

But the Turks went ahead five minutes from the end when Ergun Penbe's pass from the left dissected the Irish defense and Okan Yilmaz arrived unmarked to prod the ball past 'keeper Nick Colgan from 10m for his fifth goal in seven appearances.
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