Two goals from Shamrock Rovers forward Kevin Zefi and a strike from captain Caden McLoughlin was enough for Jason Donohue’s team to secure their sixth win in six games this season.

Ireland made a dream start after 30 seconds when they took the lead. Ireland kept possession from kick off and McLoughlin played in Zefi who beat the defender one-on-one and found the finish.

The visitors were dominant in possession against the hosts and caused England difficulties with their pressing game.

On the half-hour mark they made it 2-0 through McLoughlin. Good work through a combination of Adam Murphy and Zefi led McLoughlin to find the finish to double the visitors’ lead.

In the second half England found a way back into the game when a long-range effort by Zion Atta found the Irish net.

The game was a much more even affair but Zefi secured the victory in the 73rd minute when he pressed the backline went through one-on-one and cooly finished past the goalkeeper.

Ireland saw out the game to preserve their 100 per cent winning record for the season.

England: Wooster (GK); Silcott-Duberry, Scanlon, Gee, Dorrington (C); Sousa, Barker, Castledine; Donley, O’Reilly, Atta.

Substitutes: Cisse (GK), Bellingham, Mithcell, Mendel-Idowu

Ireland: Walsh (GK) (O’Leary 74); Cowper Gray (Kelly 74), O’Brien (Hughes 74), Curtis, Heffernan; McManus, O’Brien Whitmarsh (Vata 55), Ferizaj; McLoughlin (C) (Nolan 74), Zefi (Tetteh 74), Murphy (Nugent 55).

Referee: Mark Wright