O’Brien’s team played six friendlies ending the year in emphatic fashion with a 7-1 win over Malta but they got off their season in the perfect manner as beat Hungary 2-0 in Hungary – Cian Kelly Caprani and Dara McGuinness with the goals.

Two days later it would ended in a 2-2 draw with Luke Pearce netting his first goal for Ireland and Kelly-Caprani equalising late on from the spot.

In November, O’Brien’s MU18s took on Sweden in a double-header in Spain. They drew the first game 2-2 with goals for Ireland coming from Billy Brooks and Ben Quinn with the second game a 1-0 defeat.

December saw the MU18s head to Malta and while the first game between the sides ended 0-0 the second was a goal feast with Ireland hitting seven – Cork City’s Mark O’Mahony scored a hattrick.

Results

17.08.21 | Hungary 0-2 Ireland
19.08.21 | Hungary 2-2 Ireland
11.11.21 | Sweden 2-2 Ireland
14.11.21 | Sweden 1-0 Ireland
07.12.21 | Malta 0-0 Ireland
09.12.21 | Malta 1-7 Ireland

Appearances

5- Justin Ferizaj, Alex Murphy
4- Cian Coleman, Tom Lonergan, Dara McGuinness,
3- Billy Brooks, Tommy Fogarty, Cathal Heffernan, Rio McEvoy, John Ryan, Mark O’Mahony Luke Pearce, David Toure, Conor Walsh,
2- Edwin Agbaje, Ben Curtis, Sam Curtis,  Cian Kelly-Caprani, Oisin Gallagher,  Jad Hakiki, Ed McJannet, Jamie Mullins, Ben Quinn, Roco Vata, Harry Vaughan
1 – James Abankwah, Conor Barrett, Josh Clarke, Sean Grehan, Joshua Ireland, Noah Jauny, Owen Mason, Stephen McMullan, Harry Nevin, Joe O’Brien-Whitmarsh, Jack O’Reilly, Josh Seary,

Goals

3 – Mark O’Mahony
2 – Cian Kelly-Caprani
1 – Michael Leddy, Jad Hakiki, Tom Lonergan, Alex Murphy, Dara McGuinness, Luke Pearce, Ben Quinn, Billy Brooks