Manager Stephen Kenny has announced his 22 player Republic of Ireland U21 squad for the upcoming European Championship qualifying contests against Armenia and Sweden. We face Armenia in Yerevan at 11am on Thursday the 14th November and Sweden in Tallaght Stadium at 8pm on Tuesday the 19th November 2019.
In a hugely competitive Group One where Ireland are seeded fourth behind Italy, Iceland and Sweden, the first match in Yerevan will be hugely significant with victory almost certainly being required.
Kenny‘s squad has been hugely impacted upon by the promotion of Aaron Connolly and Troy Parrott to the senior ranks, the injuries which rule out Jonathan Afolabi, Luca Connell and Darragh Leahy and the suspensions of captain Jayson Molumby and Lee O’Connor for the Armenia fixture. The latter two will link up with the squad for the Sweden fixture five days later in Tallaght.
There are three new additions to the squad, defender Thomas O’Connor, midfielder Jack Clarke and striker Aidan Keena.
P W D L F A Pts
Ireland 5 3 1 1 7 2 10
Iceland 4 3 0 1 10 6 9
Italy 3 2 1 0 6 0 7
Sweden 3 2 0 1 9 3 6
Armenia 4 1 0 3 3 8 3
Luxembourg 5 0 0 5 0 16 0
Goalkeepers: Conor Kearns(UCD), Caoimhin Kelleher(Liverpool)
Defenders: Trevor Clarke(Rotherham United), Nathan Collins(Stoke City), Conor Masterson(QPR), Danny McNamara(Newport County on loan from Millwall), Thomas O’Connor(Gillingham on loan from Southampton), Dara O’Shea(West Bromwich Albion), Liam Scales(UCD),
Midfielders: Jack Clarke(Aston Villa), Conor Coventry(West Ham United), Jason Knight(Derby County), Daniel Mandroiu(Bohemian), Connor Ronan(DAC Dunajska Streda on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers), Jack Taylor(Barnet)
Wingers: Zackary Elbouzedi(Waterford), Neil Farrugia(Shamrock Rovers), Danny Grant(Bohemian), Gavin Kilkenny(AFC Bournemouth)
Forwards: Adam Idah(Norwich City), Aidan Keena(Heart of Midlothian), Michael Obafemi(Southampton),