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New Republic of Ireland Under 21 manager Stephen Kenny saw his first selection, predominantly comprised of home based players, secure a deserved one nil success over a Republic of Ireland Amateur side at Home Farm FC this Wednesday evening.

Kenny was true to his word, emphasised on his visit to RISSC (London) last week, as he set his first selection up in a 4-1-4-1 format to play a possession game. Given the very short preparation period and the dismally wet conditions this evening, his charges did a fine job in seeking to implement the game plan.

It did take a little while for the process to click into gear but it did and the winning goal was scored after thirty five minutes by Brandon Kavanagh who finished off some excellent build up play from UCD winger Neil Farrugia. There were several other passages of fine play against their more physically imposing opponents and substitute Robbie McCourt was unlucky with a shot which hit the post.

Save for back-up goalkeeper Ross Treacy and the injured Darragh Leahy, all of the other seven substitutes received some game time, albeit a few had just a couple of minutes at the finale.
Star of the show was UCD winger Neil Farrugia, while holding midfielder Jamie Lennon of St Patrick’s Athletic, who captained the side,and Waterford midfielder Zachary Elbouzedi also caught the eye.

Team: C Kearns; A Lyons, C McCarthy, L Scales, TR Clarke; J Lennon; Z Elbouzedi, A Bolger, B Kavanagh, N Farrugia; A Drinan
Substitutes: R Treacy(Unused), D Leahy(Injured), S Todd, D Mandriou, J Keaney, R McCourt, M O’Connor, W Fitzgerald, K O’Sullivan

There was some Irish involvement in three different competitions this Wednesday evening. The FA Cup fourth round replay between West Bromwich Albion and Brighton & Hove Albion saw Wes Hoolihan starting for the hosts who went down to a three one defeat at the Hawthorns. The 36 year old Dubliner performed very well for the ‘Baggies’ before his withdrawal after 82 minutes. Seamus Coleman and James McCarthy were unused on the Everton substitute bench for their two nil Premier League defeat by Goodison Park visitors Manchester City.  Meanwhile up at Tynecastle in the Scottish Premiership, Heart of Midlothian included the trio of Colin Doyle, Conor Shaughnessy and Jake Mulraney in their starting eleven for the scoreless draw with visitors Livingston.

There was Irish involvement in all four FA Cup fourth round replays played this Tuesday evening. Chiedozie Ogbene was a seventy second minute substitute for Brentford who defeated their non-league visitors Barnet by three goals to one at Griffin Park. Padraig Amond and Mark O’Brien were in action for Newport County who defeated Championship visitors Middlesbrough by two goals to nil at Rodney Parade with Amond scoring the second goal. Former Ireland U21 midfielder Ryan Manning was a late substitute for QPR who defeated League One side Portsmouth by two goals to nil at Loftus Road. Matt Doherty, whose ninety third minute equaliser earned Wolverhampton Wanderers a two all draw against League One Shrewsbury Town at New Meadow, was again the hero in tonight’s replay at Molineaux. His goals in the second minute and again in first half added time helped his side to a three two victory over their very resilient opponents.

New Ireland Under 21 manager Stephen Kenny took charge of his first international training session at Dunboyne Castle this Monday morning. The forty seven year old Dubliner provided the twenty man, largely domestic player, squad with an outline of his thoughts and intentions in relation to the playing style to be adopted by the team as they prepare for the upcoming 2021 European Championship qualifying campaign.

In tandem with his coaching team comprising Keith Andrews, Jim Crawford and Dan Connor, he guided the squad through their initial paces and the groundwork will continue again tomorrow. This initial domestic gathering will be completed with a match against the Republic of Ireland Amateur International side managed by Gerry Davis at Home Farm FC, Whitehall on Wednesday evening at 7.45pm.

There were three changes to the original squad, with Aaron Drinan, Jack Keaney and Sam Todd replacing the injured pair JJ Lunney and John Mahon while Ronan Hale was withdrawn because of a competitive cup commitment with his Irish League club Crusaders.

Republic of Ireland U21 Training Squad
Goalkeepers: Conor Kearns(UCD), Ross Treacy(Dundalk)
Defenders: Trevor Clarke(Shamrock Rovers), Darragh Leahy(Bohemian), Andy Lyons(Bohemian), Conor McCarthy(Cork City), Liam Scales(UCD), Sam Todd(Finn Harps)
Midfielders: Aaron Bolger(Cardiff City), Brandon Kavanagh(Shamrock Rovers), Jack Keaney(Sligo Rovers), Jamie Lennon(St Patrick’s Athletic), Daniel Mandriou(Bohemian), Robbie McCourt(Bohemian)
Forwards: Aaron Drinan(Ipswich Town), Zachery Elbouzedi(Waterford), Neil Farrugia(UCD), Will Fitzgerald(Limerick), Michael O’Connor(Linfield), Karl O’Sullivan(Limerick)

Our U15 side completed their involvement in the Quadrangular International Tournament played in Spain this week with a three nil victory over Hungary on Sunday afternoon. Following a goal less first half Ireland took second half command with goals from Ben Curtis of Shamrock Rovers and Bohemian duo, Cian Kelly and Evan Ferguson.

Team: Aaron Maguire(Tottenham Hotspur); Tom Fogerty(Birmingham City), John Ryan[C](Shamrock Rovers), Ben Curtis(Shamrock Rovers), Darragh Reilly(Sligo Rovers; Luke McGlynn(Finn Harps), Conor Campbell(Finn Harps), John Joe Power(Burton Albion); Michael Leddy(Shamrock Rovers), Ben Quinn(Cherry Orchard), Sean Grehan
Substitutes: Cian Kelly(Bohemian)for Campbell 36′, Glory Nzingo(St Patrick’s Athletic)for Curtis 53′, Ciaran O’Sullivan(Mallow United) for Leddy 53′, Jamie Mullins(Bohemian)for Power 53′, Edwin Agabje(Shamrock Rovers)for Reilly 53′, Evan Ferguson(Bohemian)for Quinn 53′, Aaron O’Reilly(St Patrick’s Athletic)for Fogerty 61′, Craig King(St Patrick’s Athletic)for Ryan 61′

Ciaran Clark was an unused substitute for Newcastle United who lost to a late and only goal from Tottenham Hotspur in the early Premier League contest at Wembley Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Shane Duffy and Brighton & Hove Albion played out a scoreless draw with visitors Watford at the Amex Stadium while Cyrus Christie and his Fulham colleagues went down to a two nil defeat by Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. Robbie Brady resumed training this week and joined the fray for the final ten minutes as his Burnley, for whom Jeff Hendrick started, scored a late equaliser to draw one each with  visitors Southampton for whom Shane Long was introduced from the bench on twenty seven minutes. Stephen Ward was an unused substitute for the ‘Clarets’. Seamus Coleman started  for Everton but was withdrawn on seventy three minutes as they went down to a three one home defeat by visitors Wolverhampton Wanderers who had Matt Doherty in their starting eleven. James McCarthy was an unused substitute for the vanquished ‘Toffees’. 

The Championship marathon continued on Saturday afternoon with Brentford, for whom Chiedoze Ogbene was an unused substitute, recovering from a two goal deficit to crush Griffin Park visitors Blackburn Rovers by five goals to two. Darragh Lenihan started  for the visitors while Derrick Williams was an unused substitute. In-form Bristol City climbed to sixth place with a two nil victory over Ashton Gate visitors Swansea City with Callum O’Dowda scoring the second. James McClean and Stoke City made the journey to Hull City where they suffered a two nil defeat. Alan Judge started and Will Keane was a fifty fifth minute substitute for Ipswich Town who lost to the only goal from visitors Sheffield Wednesday for whom Keiren Westwood was again the last line of defence at Portman Road. Conor Hourihane and Glenn Whelan started for Aston Villa who were held to a scoreless draw at Reading. Aston Villa loanee Scott Hogan was an unused substitute for Sheffield United while John Egan, Enda Stevens and David McGoldrick all started their two nil victory over visitors Bolton Wanderers and teenage midfielder Luca Connell. McGoldrick was again on the scoresheet for the ‘Blades’. West Bromwich Albion went down to a three two home defeat by visitors Middlesbrough and Darren Randolph. Recent signing Anthony Pilkington and his Wigan Athletic colleagues secured a two one success over visitors QPR, for whom Ryan Manning was a very late substitute.

In the First Division, Ronan Curtis and his Portsmouth colleagues were held to a one all draw by Fratton Park visitors Doncaster Rovers while Burnley loanee Jimmy Dunne started for Sunderland  alongside Aiden McGeady, who scored the only goal for victory over their visitors, FA Cup giant killers AFC Wimbledon, for whom Dylan Connolly started while new signing Shane McLoughlin was an unused substitute. Current leaders Luton Town continued their good form with a three nil victory at Shrewsbury Town with former Ireland U21 striker James Collins scoring twice. Transfer window loan signing Aaron Connolly was unavailable through injury.