Category: Latest News

Under 18 Head Coach Jim Crawford,  who will be assisted by Andy Reid, has named his squad for the upcoming U18 International Tournament in Spain. Ireland will be joined in the competition by England, Holland and Belgium whom they will meet in their opening encounter in the Pinatar Arena at 1pm (Irish time) on Thursday afternoon. The squad includes 14 players from the U17 squad which performed so excellently at last May’s European Championship Finals.

Squad
Goalkeepers: Sean Bohan (Bohemian), Kian Clarke (Shamrock Rovers)
Defenders: Luca Connell (Bolton Wanderers), Tom Gaston (Bordeaux), Kameron Ledwidge (Southampton), Oisin McEntee (Newcastle United), Max Murphy (Stoke City), Ray O’Sullivan (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Reece Staunton (Bradford City)
Midfielders: Sean Brennan (Southampton), Barry Coffey (Glasgow Celtic), Shane Flynn (Leicester City), Conor Grant (Sheffield Wednesday), Jason Knight (Derby County), Brian McManus (Preston North End), Callum Thompson (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Forwards: Jake Ellis (Bray Wanderers), Adam Idah (Norwich City), Tyriek Wright (Aston Villa)

 

Our U17 side complete their Invitation Tournament schedule when they face Germany in Tallaght Stadium at 1pm on Wednesday afternoon. Following defeat to England and the Czech Republic in their opening two contests, Colin O’Brien and his squad will be anxious to complete their involvement with a more positive result this afternoon.

Our U16 side suffered a disappointing three one defeat by Northern Ireland in their opening Victory Shield contest played in Mounthawk Park, Tralee early on Monday evening. After a scoreless first half the North took the lead on sixty two minutes but Ireland equalised just a minute later through Fulham striker Oliver O’Neill. The push for the winner proved counter productive as the visitors scored twice in the closing stages for a victory they just about deserved.

Manager Martin O’Neill has announced his revised senior squad for the upcoming contests with Northern Ireland and Denmark. Twenty eight players were involved in training at Abbotstown this morning with U19 captain Lee O’Connor of Manchester United being amongst that number, but purely for training purposes only. Glenn Whelan will lead Ireland in his farewell appearance in the friendly against Northern Ireland on Thursday evening before departing the scene. Matt Doherty, named in the revised squad, has not yet joined the Group and is receiving treatment at his club Wolves following a head injury incurred in their draw at Arsenal on Sunday afternoon. Teenagers Caoimhin Kelleher and Michael Obafemi have both been retained. Injury ruled out Shane Long and Derrick Williams while Sean McDermott, Ciaran Clark, Greg Cunningham, Jimmy Dunne, Ryan Manning and Richie Towell have been jettisoned from the provisional squad announced last week.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Colin Doyle, Caoimhin Kelleher, Darren Randolph
Defenders: Cyrus Christie, Seamus Coleman, Matt Doherty, Shane Duffy, John Egan, Richard Keogh, Darragh Lenihan, Kevin Long, Enda Stevens
Midfielders: Harry Arter, Robbie Brady, Alan Browne, Jeff Hendrick, Conor Hourihane, James McClean, David Meyler, Callum O’Dowda, Shaun Williams
Forwards: Ronan Curtis, Scott Hogan, Sean Maguire, Michael Obafemi, Aiden O’Brien, Callum Robinson

Our U16 side, under the watchful eye of Head Coach Paul Osam, compete in the Quadrangular Victory Shield Tournament. We host the Tournament, which we have won for the past two years, in Kerry this week. The Tournament opens in St Brendan’s Park at 1pm on Monday afternoon when Scotland take on Wales, while we face Northern Ireland in Mounthawk Park at 6pm that evening. We will take on Wales at 1pm on Wednesday afternoon in Mounthawk Park and complete our challenge against Scotland at 1pm on Friday afternoon at Tralee Dynamos FC. 

Our U17 side went down to a three two defeat by the Czech Republic in their second Invitation Tournament encounter in Tallaght Stadium this Sunday afternoon. The visitors led one nil at half-time but Ireland, with three second half changes, scored twice in quick succession through Anselmo Garcia MacNulty (Real Betis) and Sean Kennedy (Sunderland) to take the lead. The visitors equalised from the penalty spot on 63 minutes and scored the winner in an elongated period of added time. Ireland face Germany in their concluding contest in Tallaght Stadium at 1pm on Wednesday afternoon. 

The three right backs named in the Ireland squad this week are all in Premier League action this Sunday afternoon. Cyrus Christie started for Fulham in their two nil defeat at Liverpool in the mid-day kick off while Seamus Coleman led Everton in their scoreless draw at Chelsea. Matt Doherty was in action for Wolverhampton Wanderers who played out a one all draw with Arsenal in the Emirates Stadium later in the afternoon.