Soutar made a fine block from the substitute Hindaugas Kalonas but the rebound fell perfectly for Edgaras Cesnauskis, who blasted in from close range.In Tirana, the Republic of Ireland wasted a good chance of recording their first win in their Under-21 Championship campaign as they dominated against Albania but conceded a breakaway goal to go down 1-0 for their third defeat in four matches.Graham Barrett looked lively on his record-equalling 20th appearance and he set up Liam Miller for the Republic’s best chance after 29 minutes, but the Celtic player’s finish was disappointing – although he nearly redeemed himself when he struck a late free-kick against a post. The goal came in the 71st minutes when the substitute Erion Rizvanolli was first to a long through ball and chipped it over the advancing Graham Stack and into an empty net.Don Givens believed that his team should have red faces after they lost to Albania, whom he described as the “poorest” team he had seen at that level. “I told them we should be ashamed of ourselves,” the Irish manager said. “When you lose to a team like that, who are probably the poorest team I’ve seen at Under-21 level, it sums us up, it really does.”A team of our stature shouldn’t lose to that team. We might have got a goalless draw because we found it hard to score, but we don’t lose to them.’I am absolutely sick with that result.

I said to them that the one thing we mustn’t do is concede a goal to them, and the fact we did is scandalous. It’s a killer.”The state of the pitch was always going to make it hard for us, but you can’t keep making excuses, that was dreadful and there were very few positives from my point of view.”. Sammy McIlroy is determined to continue as Northern Ireland manager. He takes his side into tonight’s Euro 2004 qualifier against Greece at Windsor Park insisting their luck will turn.

When I played for my country I did my best and I am doing my best now as manager.”I have been in a load of Irish sides and you might think I am biased being the manager but they are definitely not the worst team. I was hurt by that accusation because I know it is not the case. It was an unjust statement.”The Irish have been left short of numbers following the retirement of players such as Kevin Horlock, Neil Lennon and Jim Magilton. Gerry Taggart and Roy Carroll also asked to be excused from the squad for personal reasons.The absence of a number of senior personnel led to an attack by Irish Football Association president, Jim Boyce, who wrote: “I am very annoyed and disappointed at what appears to be a lack of interest by certain players crying off on a regular basis.”GROUP SIX PWDLFAPts Spain3210727 Ukraine4130646 Armenia3111344 Greece3102243 N Ireland3012041 Results: 7 Sept: Armenia 2 Ukraine 2; Greece 0 Spain 2 12 Oct: Spain 3 Northern Ireland 0; Ukraine 2 Greece 0 16 Oct: Greece 2 Armenia 0; Northern Ireland 0 Ukraine 0. Saturday: Armenia 1 Northern Ireland 0; Ukraine 2 Spain 2.Remaining fixtures: Tonight: Northern Ireland v Greece; Spain v Armenia 7 June: Spain v Greece; Ukraine v Armenia 11 June: Northern Ireland v Spain; Greece v Ukraine 6 Sept: Armenia v Greece; Ukraine v Northern Ireland 10 Sept: Northern Ireland v Armenia; Spain v Ukraine 11 Sept: Greece v Northern Ireland; Armenia v Spain..