An early goal at Tallaght Stadium proved to be enough for Eastern Region IRL as they edged out a stylish Zagreb team in the UEFA Regions' Cup final.

Starting without the suspended Antun Strjački and injured linchpin Božidar Kramaratić, Zagreb were not their usual resilient selves; the Irish side took the game to them, and were ahead in the tenth minute, James Lee's ball in from the right met with a confident header from David Lacey. Lee might have had a second, missing the target after a scramble left Stipe Nevistić well off his line, and Laurence Dunne's shot on goal was just a small deflection away from beating the goalkeeper.

Sreten Ćuk's side have thrived on exhausting opponents with their passing, and cracking them open as their focus wavers, but it was Gerry Smith's men who kept Zagreb running in the first half, Rilwan Sule on the right helping to break down attacking moves at source, and keep the Croatian defenders guessing. Zagreb were not entirely out of it, though; Dorian Puretić smashed a long-range shot at Paul Breen and Brendan O'Connell needed to be alert to field a Filip Perić flick.

The 1,172-strong crowd were treated to a couple of Irish half-chances early on, but Zagreb started to impose their game on Eastern Region as time drew on, the unexpected arrival of Karamatić as a substitute – the set-piece man having seemingly been ruled out through injury – a further cause for concern for home coach Gerry Smith. However, a Josip Mohač shot from distance and a Karamatić miscue the most tangible return for their efforts.

Eastern Region IRL counterpunched with increasing confidence, James Carr and Laurence Dunne striking off target, and even the presence of Karamatić – by general consent the most gifted player at the finals in Dublin – could not regain Zagreb the momentum as the clock ticked down. Nevistić fielded a powerful Noel Murray free-kick, but O'Connell – not for the first time this tournament – was left with little to occupy him at the other end. 

The home side's captain Kenneth Hoey still remembers the "sickening" feeling of walking past the trophy after his side lost the 2011 final; this time, it is someone else's turn.