Finland take narrow lead to Cork after Tampere snowstorm

Finland 1-0 Ireland

The Republic of Ireland have work to do if they're to make next year's European U21 Championships after falling to a 1-0 defeat against Finland.

The match was highly disrupted by heavy snow in Tampere, with the teams taken off the pitch in the first half, so that lines could be cleared, and the start of the second half delayed by nearly an hour.

Onni Helen got the only goal in first half stoppage time and the Finns will feel they were unlucky not to have scored more, having hit the upright on a number of occasions.

But Jim Crawford's side did begin to battle and Jamie Mullins also hit the crossbar with a header, while Owen Elding had a massive chance to equalise cleared off the line.

They couldn't force home a goal but things are still finally poised ahead the return leg in Cork on Tuesday.

Ireland had only reached the play-off by the skin of their teeth, finishing their group D campaign with four wins on the spin to scrape through at Slovakia's expense.

Elding, who earned a first senior cap against Kosovo in September, played at this age level for the first time alongside Tommy Lonergan, who played the full 90 minutes for Waterford in their FAI Cup final defeat to Derry City on Sunday.

But it was at the other end of the park where most of the early action took place, with the Finns holding onto the ball for nearly all of the first 15 minites.

They rained down crosses on the Irish box in that period, earning a few corners but failing to trouble goalkeeper Noah Jauny.

Just before the 20-minute mark, with the snow now falling heavily, the match ball was swapped out for a yellow one as the pitch began to disappear.

Around this time, Jimi Taurianinen went down injured and he was replaced by Helen. Little did we know it then, but that would prove to be a big moment in the game.

Before scoring his goal, Helen would be booked for a poor challenge on Mullins, with Oisin Gallagher following him into the referee's book a short while later after taking down Marius Soderback in the middle of the park.

Ireland had survived the early siege but the disruption was only beginning, with the players taken off the pitch just after the half-hour mark, with the pitch now covered in snow.

Some brave figures with shovels emerged, and tried valianty to clear the snow from the lines, allowing the game to resume.

Sean Grehan launched a couple of long throws into the Finnish box, which caused some worry, but it looked as if the sides were going to head into the break scoreless.

It wasn't to be, however, as Owen Elding headed home brilliantly, only to have it ruled out for offside.

The next goal would count but unfortunately it went to the hosts, as Helen looped home a header after good play by Liam Moller out left.

More disruption followed, as the heavy duty snow ploughs were brought in to clear the field; nearly an hour later, the second half began.

Ireland were under all sorts of pressure for the next 15 minutes.

Helen hit the post with a strike, before Alex Murphy cleared a dangerous ball from the six yard box.

Jauny reacted superbly to keep a header from Samuli Miettinen out before Helen, unbelievably, smashed another low shot off the post.

Crawford's young Boys in Green were on the ropes, as shot from Ilari Kangasniemi clipped Murphy and flashed just wide of the right post.

Trent Kone-Doherty came on just after the hour mark and immediately gave the visitors a new dimension to their attack.

His clever play down the left channel set up Ireland's best chances of the game, as he picked out Mullins with a cross.

His header came back off the crossbar, only to fall to Elding, who looked like he couldn't miss. Frustratingly, the ball hit a defender, ran across the line, and then hit the post and out.

Elding was the hero at the other end shortly afterwards, as he got a toe in to prevent Helen taking a shot from just beside the penalty spot.

There was one more big chance for Ireland as Mullins slipped Matteo Egan in with a concealed pass, but the Empoli man got it all wrong, missing the target completely from 10 yards.

It's hardly an insurmountable difference but it's advantage Finland heading to Cork on Tuesday.

Finland: Jantunen, Galvez, Miettinen, Kangasniemi, Ylitolva, Siltanen, Mentu, Soderback (Mero 85), Moller (Europaeus 86), Tauriainen (Helen 21), Ruoppi.

Yellow cards: Helen 27.

Ireland: Jauny, Murphy, Grehan, Gallagher (Egan 61), McManus, Devaney (McMahon-Brown 85), Finneran, McCarthy, Mullins, Elding, Lonergan, (Kone-Doherty 61).

Yellow cards: Gallagher 30, Finneran 89.

Referee: Christian-Petru Ciochirca (Austria)