A team, featuring Johnny Carey, Con Martin and Billy Walsh, were narrowly defeated 1–0 when Tom Finney scored the winner in the 82nd minute.

Two days earlier, on 28 September, Carey and Tom Aherne had been included in the IFA XI that had been heavily defeated 7–2 by the same England side.

Despite the absence of both Stanley Matthews and Stan Mortensen, England fielded a strong team, including Billy Wright, Neil Franklin, Wilf Mannion and Tom Finney.

However Tommy Godwin was in inspired form and Con Martin, Tom Aherne and Johnny Carey proved to difficult for England to get past.

Carey was also effective in keeping Tom Finney quiet, while wing-halves Billy Walsh and Tommy Moroney gradually took the sting out of the English front line.

Ireland took the lead in the 33rd minute when Peter Desmond, after collecting a pass from Tommy O'Connor, burst into the England penalty area and was brought down.