Tournament
08.02.2005 at 00:00 - La Manga
Under 19s ready for Norway
The Republic of Ireland Under 19s take on Norway in the first clash of a four-team tournament also involving Denmark and the Czech Republic on Tuesday afternoon (Kick off 2:00 Irish time).
Once again, manager Sean McCaffrey’s plans have been severely dealt with by injures and withdrawals as, in the final warm-up games before the UEFA Under 19 Championship qualifiers, he is forced to draft in uncapped duo Ciaran Tracey and Peter Castle.
McCaffrey said: “It’s the usual story for us. We’ve got in three or four new faces since our last games which is not ideal.”
Having beaten Italy 2-0 in Bari in Ireland’s last game last month, McCaffrey was hoping to build on that by being able to call upon all his big names such as Paul McShane, Marcos Painter and Patrick Cregg.
However, he remains optimistic that players on the fringes of the squad can stake claims for a regular place in the side.
“It’s a chance to assess people though we can’t do too much work in preparation for the Europeans.”
“But having said that, players like Richard Keogh, Travis Binnion, James Hand and Gary Dicker all got into the last squad for the Italy match because others were missing and now they’re in the squad.
“When players are not available, other players are coming in doing a job and those that miss out will see their positions in doubt. That’s one thing that will happen.”
McCaffrey said that Norway are a “big strong physical side who like to play the long ball and put us under pressure early. They will give us a good test as will the Czechs and Denmark.”
Squad: Randolph (Charlton Athletic), Quigley (UCD), R Keogh (Stoke City), Elebert (Preston North End), Dicker (UCD), Kelly (Unattached), Gibson (Manchester United), Collins (Huddersfield), Morris (Leeds United), Hand (Huddersfield), Tracey (Preston North End), A Keogh (Leeds United), Simmons (Chelsea), Clarke (Ipswich Town), Hayes (Reading), Best (Southampton), Binnion (Sheffield United), Castle (Reading).
Republic of Ireland Under 19 and Under 21 Managers, Sean McCaffrey and Don Givens, have been forced to make late changes to their squads ahead of matches in Spain and Portugal next week.
McCaffrey has called in Travis Binnion (Sheffield United), Conrad Logan (Leicester City) and Peter Castle (Reading FC) to his squad for the Tournament in La Manga, Spain, where Denmark, Czech Republic and hosts, Norway will be the opposition.
Revised Republic of Ireland Under 19 squad: Darren Randolph (Charlton Athletic), Conrad Logan (Leicester City), Terry Masterson (Millwall), Shane McFaul (Notts County), Richard Keogh (Stoke City), Darren O’Dea (Celtic), David Elebert (Preston North End) Gary Dicker (UCD), John Paul Kelly (Unattached), Darron Gibson (Manchester United), Michael Collins (Huddersfield Town), Steven Foley (Aston Villa), Ian Morris (Leeds United), James Hand (Huddersfield Town), Ciaran Tracey (Preston North End), Andrew Keogh (Leeds United), Billy Clarke (Ipswich Town), Jonathan Hayes (Reading), Diarmuid O’ Carroll Celtic), Leon Best (Southampton), Travis Binnion (Sheffield United), Peter Castle (Reading).
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