IRELAND 0 NORTH MACEDONIA 0Maybe it was no harm for the nostalgic reruns that it took until a meaningless friendly for Troy Parrott’s clinical streak to finally escape him. Fellow beaten playoff semi-finalist North Macedonia didn’t want to be in Dublin either but they were the relieved team trudging off the pitch following this stalemate. That Ireland were generally ponderous in attack, and Parrott unusually profligate, will be forgiven once the purpose returns later in the year for the competitive return. Some respite from the early one-way traffic came in the form of North Macedonia being gifted a free on the edge of the Ireland box by Ogbene careering into the back of Sebastian Herera. The second seemed to be the marginal call but the use of VAR for a friendly removed any doubt.

Source: Irish Examiner April 01, 2026 09:10 UTC