Underage and Domestic News Roundup March 2018
Under 21
Our Under 21 side will commence preparation for their 2019 European Championship Qualifying contest with Azerbaijan when they face Iceland in a friendly international at Tallaght Stadium on Thursday the 22nd March 2018. The crucial UEFA Qualifier is then set for Tallaght again, on Tuesday the 27th March 2018. There is then a lengthy break before the September 2018 double header away to Kosova on Friday the 7th September and home to Germany on Tuesday the 11th September. We will complete our qualifying campaign with an away double header the following month, travelling to Israel on Thursday the 11th October followed by a visit to Germany on Tuesday the 16th October 2018.
Under 19
Head Coach Tom Mohan has announced his twenty player squad for the Elite Stage of the 2018 European Championship which will be hosted by Portugal. Ireland open their campaign at 3pm on the 21st March 2018 in Braga where Slovakia will provide the opposition before then facing Kosova three days later in Vile do Conde, again at 3pm. The final Group Five contest against the hosts Portugal is set for Barcelos at 5pm on Tuesday the 27th March. Only the Group winners will qualify for the July finals in Finland.
Under 18
Our U18 non-competitive side faced Wales in two friendly encounters at Tramore FC in Waterford on the 20th and the 22nd February 2018. The first contest ended scoreless while the visitors prevailed by two goals to nil in the second encounter. Head Coach Jim Crawford and his squad are preparing for another double header against Romania set for Sunday the 25th and Tuesday the 27th March 2018.
Under 17
Head Coach Colin O’Brien has announced his squad for the Elite Stage of the 2018 European Championship which is being hosted by Poland. Ireland commence their challenge against FYR Macedonia in Glogow at 4.30pm Irish time on Wednesday the 21st March. The second match against Georgia is set for the same kick-off time and venue on Saturday the 24th March with the concluding Group Three match against the hosts Poland, scheduled for Legnica at 3.30pm Irish time on Tuesday the 27th March 2018. The eight group winners together with the seven best runners-up will progress to the Championship Finals to be hosted by England in May.
Under 16
Head Coach Paul Osam recently took an eighteen player squad to Budapest where they faced hosts Hungary in two friendly contests. Ireland suffered a three two reversal in the opening match with our goals coming from Matt Everitt of Brighton & Hove Albion and St Patrick’s Athletic midfielder Brandon Holt. The second meeting proved bitterly disappointing with Ireland going down to a comprehensive four nil defeat.
Under 15
Head Coach Jason Donohue named an eighteen player squad for two friendly contests with Cyprus earlier this month. Ireland secured a two nil success in the opening encounter played in Oriel Park, Dundalk on Tuesday the 6th March with the goals scored by Anselmo Garcia McNulty of Real Betis and Oran Crowe of Cork City. The second contest, played at the AUL Complex in Dublin, produced another two nil sucess with the goals coming from Louie Barry of West Bromwich Albion and Middlesbrough striker Calum Kavanagh, son of former senior international Graham Kavanagh. We are set to take on the Czech Republic in another home double header on the 16th and 18th April 2018.
Senior Women
Slovakia and Holland will provide the opposition in two home 2019 World Cup qualifiers set for Friday the 6th and Tuesday the 10th April 2018 in Tallaght Stadium.
U19 Women
Our U19 Women will be on home soil for the Elite Stage of the 2018 European Championship where they will face Austria, Spain and Turkey on April the 2nd, 5th and 8th respectively.
The draw for the preliminary stage of the 2019 Championship will see Ireland contest Group Eight with the Faroe Islands, Ukraine and mini-tournament hosts Lithuania from the 2nd to the 8th October 2018.
U17 Women
The draw for the Elite Stage of the 2018 European Championship sees Ireland drawn in Group Seven alongside Azerbaijan, Iceland and Germany, who will host the mini-tournament from the 22nd to the 28th March 2018. We will meet Iceland on Thursday the 22nd followed by Azerbaijan on Sunday the 25th and hosts Germany on Wenesday the 28th.
The draw for the preliminary stage of the 2019 Championship has also been made and we will contest Group Seven with Albania, Wales and mini-tournament hosts Serbia from the 22nd to the 28th October 2018.
Schools Internationals
Our Schools International side kicked-off their Centenary Shield challenge with a two one away victory over Wales at Cefn Druids FC on Thursday the 15th February 2018. They next travelled to meet England on Friday the 16th March and secured a scoreless draw at Kenilworth Road, home of Luton Town FC. We will next host Northern Ireland on Thursday the 29th March 2018 before the final contest at home to Scotland which is set for Thursday the 12th April 2018.
FAI Airtricity League
Following the opening six series of fixtures in the 2018 Airtricity League Premier Division season, defending champions Cork City hold a single point advantage over Dundalk and Waterford at the summit.
EA Sports Cup
The inclement weather earlier this month wreaked havoc on the EA Sports Cup first round fixtures, all of which have now been re-scheduled for a variety of dates later this month.