Republic of Ireland Under-21s Head Coach Jim Crawford has named a squad of 23 for the opening two games of the UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualifiers against Moldova and Andorra.

Ireland travel to Moldova next week where they’ll take on the Moldovans in Nisporeni on Thursday, September 4 before returning home to face Andorra at Tallaght Stadium in their first home game of the campaign on Tuesday, September 9.
 

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Watford pair Rocco Vata and James Abankwah return to the squad having been part of Heimir Hallgrímsson's senior team in March. 

There are also first Under-21s call-ups for teenage Liverpool winger Trent Kone-Doherty and 17-year-old Shamrock Rovers striker Michael Noonan.

Romeo Akachukwu is named in an Under-21s squad for the first time as is Derby County’s Freddie Turley and Hull City’s Cathal McCarthy.

Manchester United’s Jacob Devaney gets a second call-up having impressed in the June internationals in Croatia along with QPR’s Cian Dillon. They are joined by League of Ireland Premier Division in-form striker Mason Melia who is back with Crawford’s squad after becoming the youngest player to score for the Under-21s in March. 
 

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Republic of Ireland Under-21s Squad

Goalkeepers: Noah Jauny (Stade Brestois), Aaron Maguire (Tottenham Hotspur), Andrew Wogan (Chester FC, on loan from Stockport County).

Defenders: James Abankwah (Watford), Jacob Devaney (Manchester United), Sean Grehan (Doncaster Rovers), Alex Murphy (Newcastle United), David Okagbue (Peterborough United), Jacob Slater (Brighton & Hove Albion),  Freddie Turley (Derby County).

Midfielders: Romeo Akachukwu (Southampton), Jad Hakiki (Sligo Rovers), Darius Lipsiuc (Solihull Moors, on loan from Stoke City), Cathal McCarthy (Hull City), Jamie Mullins (Wycombe Wanderers), Adam Murphy (Bristol City), Harry Vaughan (Hull City).

Forwards: Cian Dillon (Queens Park Rangers), Trent Kone-Doherty (Liverpool), Mason Melia (St. Patrick’s Athletic), Michael Noonan (Shamrock Rovers), Mark O’Mahony (Reading, on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion), Rocco Vata (Watford).
 

UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualifiers (kick-offs are Irish time)

Thursday, September 4 | Moldova U21 v Ireland U21, Nisporeni Central, Nisporeni, Moldova, KO 5pm 
Tuesday, September 9 | Ireland U21 v Andorra U21, Tallaght Stadium, Dublin, KO 7.30pm