Patton and McLaughlin come off the bench for Ireland U-19s in Slovenia stalemate

Finn Harps duo, Sean Patton of Drumkeen and Aaron McLaughlin of Kerrykeel, were both back in action on Tuesday for Tom Mohan’s Ireland U-19 squad with the team finishing their three-game window with a 1-1 draw to hosts, Slovenia. 

Slovenia struck first, against the flow of play, with Luka Topaovic finding the back of the net. However, Ireland equalised just after the hour mark, courtesy of a moment of brilliance from 16-year-old Mason Melia of St Patrick’s Athletic, securing the draw. 

Patton, currently on loan from Derry City, and McLaughlin both made appearances off the bench in the final game of the window.  

Patton had started in Ireland’s opening match, which ended in a defeat to a highly skilled French team. McLaughlin, who made his first U-19 start last weekend, came on in the 76th minute of the first game and immediately made his presence felt, winning a penalty for Ireland after being brought down by the goalkeeper. 

In the second match, McLaughlin started and continued to impress, holding up a long ball before setting up Dillon, who chipped the goalkeeper to score, earning McLaughlin an assist. 

These performances underscore the potential of Patton and McLaughlin as they continue to make their mark on the international stage.