The game finished in a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes with Simon Falvey equalising in the 88th minute to force a shootout in Team Ireland’s final participation in the 2019 Games.
The campaign ends following the team topping Group A with four points before exiting at the Quarter Final stage to Russia.
Greg Yelverton made six changes to his team that were beaten by Ukraine in the 5th/8th play-off with captain Alan O’Sullivan leading the line.
France took the lead on 20 minutes when Teiva Blanchet met Vincent Roux’s cross and powered his header past Gavin Sheridan. Sean McSweeney thought he had equalised for Ireland on 33 minutes when he nodded Anthony McAlavey’s free kick into the back of the net but was denied by the assistant referee’s offside flag.
Ireland pushed hard for an equaliser in the second half with Michael Scott rasping the gloves of goalkeeper Bastian Rempp. With time running out for Ireland, Falvey stepped up to the plate when he anticipated the centre-half missing his header to Rob Slevin’s ball forward and the UCC striker put the ball beyond Rempp to bring proceedings level.
Into the shootout and Rempp was the hero when he denied Dean Kelly and Scott to place France ahead of Ireland in the final rankings.
Ireland: Sheridan, Trimble (Hollywood 68), Manley, Slevin, Noack-Hofmann, Kelly, Quinn (Duffy 60), McAlavey, Daly-Butz (Scott 76), O’Sullivan (Falvey 82), McSweeney.
Referee: Mykola Balakin (Ukraine)
2019 FISU Summer Universiade Men’s Football Results
Ireland 3-2 South Korea
Ireland 1-1 Uruguay
Ireland 0-1 Russia
Ireland 1-2 Ukraine
Ireland 1-1 France – France win 4-3 on penalties
