This past week has been a busy period for the Republic of Ireland’s international teams with four participants in the UEFA Elite Round, the Under-21’s continuing their EURO 2019 campaign and various other sides in friendly action. 

Next week sees the Women’s U-19 side taking on Austria, Spain and Turkey in the Elite Round with Ireland’s three games taking place in Turner’s Cross, while Colin Bell’s senior team face crucial FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifiers against Slovakia and Netherlands on April 6 and 10 respectively in Tallaght Stadium. 

On the men’s side, player development has been discussed at length particularly with Colin O’Brien’s U-17 side qualifying impressively for a second successive European Championship Finals following a campaign that resulted in six wins from six and a top seeding spot at the Finals in May.

Established over 10 years ago, the FAI Emerging Talent Programme’s aim was to identify and develop talented young players around the country with a view to helping them progress onto the international stage in due course. 

With that in mind, the Senior squad along with the Under 21, 19, 18, and 17 panels selected for the games over the past week are illustrated below, as well as the list of the FAI Emerging Talent hubs each player came through. 

In additional to the Emerging Talent Programme, the newly established Transition Year Football Development course, taking place in conjunction with Fingal County Council, gives participants an opportunity to meet their educational requirements as well as developing their football skills. 

In just it’s second year, the course has already propelled players on to the international stage. U-17 goalkeeper Kian Clarke came through the programme last year, with current participants Brandon Holt, Harry Halwax and Cian Kelly were all members of Ireland’s Victory Shield-winning squad at U-16 level.

A full list of the women’s players that came through the FAI Emerging Talent Programme will be published following the conclusion of the upcoming games in April.  

Emerging Talent Programme Graduates

Republic of Ireland Under 17 squad – UEFA Elite Round qualifiers

Dublin South: Kian Clarke (Shamrock Rovers), Nathan Collins (Stoke City), James Furlong (Shamrock Rovers)

Dundalk;Jimmy Corcoran (Cherry Orchard), Oisin McEntee (Newcastle United)

Dublin North;Kameron Ledwidge (Southampton), Ray O’Sullivan (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Sean Brennan (Southampton), Conor Grant (Sheffield Wednesday), Troy Parrott (Tottenham Hotspur)

Arklow;Max Murphy (Stoke City), Jason Knight (Derby County), Callum Thompson (Wolverhampton Wanderers)

Limerick;Barry Coffey (Celtic)

Cork;Adam O’Reilly (Preston North End), Adam Idah (Norwich City), Tyriek Wright (Aston Villa)

Letterkenny;Marc Walsh (Swansea City)

Republic of Ireland Under-18 squad – Friendly games against Romania

Castlebar;Luke McNicholas (Sligo Rovers)

Dublin North; Ryan Burke (Birmingham City), Joe Redmond (Birmingham City), Thomas Caffrey (Celtic), Gavin Kilkenny (AFC Bournemouth)

Arklow;Aaron Bolger (Shamrock Rovers)

Cork;Rory Doyle (Cork City)

Waterford;Cian Murphy (Cork City) 

Mullingar;Andy Lyons (Bohemians)

Republic of Ireland U19 squad – UEFA Elite Round qualifiers

Dublin North;Brian Maher (St. Patrick’s Athletic), Jordan Doherty (Sheffield United), James Finnerty (Aston Villa), Dara O’Shea (West Bromwich Albion - on loan at Hereford), Daniel McKenna (Wolverhampton Wanderers - on loan at Bray Wanderers)

Dublin South;Mark Travers (Bournemouth)

Waterford;Lee O’Connor (Manchester United), Thomas O’Connor (Southampton) 

Kerry;Rian O’Sullivan (Brighton & Hove Albion)

Galway;Aaron Connolly (Brighton and Hove Albion)

Arklow;Aaron Dobbs (Shamrock Rovers - on loan at Wexford) 

Republic of Ireland U21 squad – Friendly against Iceland / UEFA qualifier against Azerbaijan

Cork;Caoimhin Kelleher (Liverpool)

Dublin South;Danny Kane (Cork City), Jake Mulraney (Inverness CT)

Waterford;Ryan Delaney (Rochdale AFC)

Dundalk;James Dunne (Burnley - on loan at Accrington Stanley), Jake Doyle-Hayes (Aston Villa)

Galway;Ryan Manning (QPR)

Letterkenny;Ronan Curtis (Derry City)

Republic of Ireland squad – Friendly against Turkey

Dundalk;Aaron McCarey (Ross County) 

Dublin North;Matt Doherty (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Darragh Lenihan (Blackburn Rovers), Jeff Hendrick (Burnley), Enda Stevens (Sheffield United)

Cork;Conor Hourihane (Aston Villa), David Meyler (Hull City), Alan Browne (Preston North End)

Waterford;Sean Maguire (Preston North End), Derrick Williams (Blackburn Rovers)

Castlebar; Daryl Horgan (Preston North End)