Euro 2012 Warm-up: Ireland-Hungary play goalless draw

Budapest: Ireland drew 0-0 with Hungary in their last warm-up game before the UEFA Euro 2012 football championships beginning in Poland and Ukraine Friday.

Hungary, who failed to qualify for the tournament, showed greater appetite during the game Monday but couldn`t manage to break down a stubborn Irish defence. A thunderstorm before the game delayed the start for 15 minutes and created difficult underfoot conditions for both teams. The hosts though still managed to carve out several opportunities to score in the first half, Balazs Dzsudzsak coming closest to scoring in the 36th minute when his close range effort was blocked by Ireland goalkeeper Shane Given. Ireland`s best chance of the game came in the 74th minute when substitute Simon Cox from the edge of the penalty area forced a fingertip save from goalkeeper Adam Bogdan. Substitute Imre Szabics then had a shot cleared off the line by Stephen Hunt in the 84th minute in Hungary`s last chance of the game. Ireland now travel to their base in Gdansk in Poland to prepare for their Euro 2012 opener against Croatia Sunday while Hungary look forward to the 2014 World Cup qualifiers in September. IANS