Republic of Ireland 1 - 3 Switzerland | 2020 - U17 Mens Friendlies | 999946371

Under-17 Mens Friendlies International Friendly, Valencia, Spain

Wednesday, February 12, 2020

Republic of Ireland 1 - 3 Switzerland

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Ireland U17: Ireland go down 3-1 to Switzerland

The Republic of Ireland Under-17 team fell to a 3-1 defeat in the first of two friendlies against Switzerland in Spain this week.

12th Feb 2020

Tyron Owusu, Aurele Amenda and Andrin Hunziker gave the Swiss a 3-0 lead with Andrew Moran netting a consolation for Ireland late on.

Before the game head coach Colin O’Brien had spoken of the quality of opposition his side would face, with Switzerland, like Ireland, qualifying for the Elite Round of the UEFA European Under-17 Championships.

The Boys in Green were behind from the third minute when they were caught in possession by the Swiss and Owusu was on hand to give Switzerland an early lead.

Fulham’s Oliver O’Neill came closest for Ireland in the first half but they were unable to get back on equal terms before the break.

Amenda and Hunziker gave Switzerland a commanding 3-0 lead but Ireland created chances in the second half through Calum Kavanagh and Sinclair Armstrong.

Moran pulled a goal back in the 85th minute when Calum Kavanagh drove at the Switzerland backline and played a through ball to Armstrong. The Shamrock Rovers forward pulled the ball back for the Bray Wanderers man to find the net.

The two teams go head-to-head again on Friday as Ireland continue their preparations for next month’s Elite Round in Scotland.

O’Brien’s team will go up against Czech Republic, Slovakia and hosts Scotland as they seek qualification for the championships in Estonia.

Ireland: Rose (GK); Adaramola (Reilly 79), L. Kavanagh, Wells, O’Brien (C); Conway, Conroy (Crowe 46), McCormack (Doyle 62); Ferguson (C. Kavanagh 62), O’Neill (Moran 62), Mahon (Armstrong 46).

Switzerland: Hubel (GK); Muhlethaler, Carrizo, Hajdari (C), Vukelic, Willmann, Dantas, Owusu, Fink, Chiappetta, Jaiteh.

Substitutes: Loretz (GK), Ottiger, Amenda, Luthi, Shala, Reichmuth, Willimann, Crescenti, De Carvalho, Rossier, Hunziker, Bieri.

Fixture
Friday, February 14: Ireland vs Switzerland, Campos De Futbol Oliva Nova, KO 11am (Irish time)

Ireland U17: O'Brien names squad for Switzerland friendlies

Republic of Ireland Under-17 Head Coach Colin O’Brien has named a 22-man squad for their friendly double-header against Switzerland in Valencia next week.

8th Feb 2020

O’Brien has handed a first international call-up to Lincoln City defender Sean Roughan as the squad prepare for the Elite Round of qualification of the UEFA European Under-17 Championships in Scotland next month.

Ireland will face Switzerland on Wednesday at 12pm (Irish time) and again on Friday at 11am (Irish time) with both games taking place at Campos De Futbol Oliva Nova.

Speaking about the squad selection O’Brien said
“We’re looking forward to seeing Sean Roughan and viewing how he does in the international environment.

“It’s a week where we have to concentrate on ourselves and get back into good habits and prepare for the Elite Round.

“We had a couple of days with some of the home-based players and a lot of them are in pre-season at the moment so we’re having to put a plan in place that works with those players.

“They’ve been back with their clubs for a couple of weeks and once we finish with the players on Friday we’ll be six weeks out from competition time.

“It’s a challenge, but I’d be very hopeful that the training intensity of the home-based players will go up in the coming weeks and benefit us going into the Elite Round.”

On facing Switzerland
“Switzerland have also qualified for the Elite Round so they will give us a really good test – which we need.

“In the last number of years Switzerland have been pretty strong at Under-17s and Under-19s level and I think they’ve made a lot of in-roads, particularly through their attacking players and attacking play.

“Our players will know that everything will go up a level as we face teams who have gone through from the first qualifying round.”

Republic of Ireland squad
Goalkeepers: Josh Keeley (St Patrick’s Athletic), Daniel Rose (Everton)
Defenders: Gavin O’Brien (Bohemians), Darragh Reilly (Shamrock Rovers), Oisin Hand (Shamrock Rovers), Adam Wells (Shamrock Rovers), Leigh Kavanagh (Bray Wanderers), Fionnan Coyle (Finn Harps), Tayo Adaramola (Crystal Palace), Sean Roughan (Lincoln City)
Midfielders: Colin Conroy (Bohemians), Kyle Conway (St Patrick’s Athletic), Ben McCormack (St Patrick’s Athletic), Jamie Doyle (Shamrock Rovers), Andrew Moran (Bray Wanderers), Kailin Barlow (Sligo Rovers), Oran Crowe (Cork City)
Forwards: Robbie Mahon (Bohemians), Evan Ferguson (Bohemians), Sinclair Armstrong (Shamrock Rovers), Calum Kavanagh (Middlesbrough), Oliver O’Neill (Fulham)

Fixtures
Wednesday, February 12: Ireland vs Switzerland, Campos De Futbol Oliva Nova, KO 12pm (Irish time)
Friday, February 14: Ireland vs Switzerland, Campos De Futbol Oliva Nova, KO 11am (Irish time)