The U18 FAI Schools (Boys) will make the short journey north to challenge their counterparts, on Thursday afternoon, 17 March, 2011 in The Oval, Belfast when they take on Northern Ireland in the Centenary Shield (KO 5pm):
This will be the second competitive fixture in the competition for Manager, Dave Archbold (Palmerstown Community School) as the Republic of Ireland had a nervy start to their campaign with a 2-2 draw at home to Wales to secure a point in the league table:
Bob Ramsey’s side on the other hand are enjoying league table status following the North’s empathic away win to England a fortnight ago (0/2): The Northern lads gave a sterling performance and gathered their first win as Glentoran’s John McGuigan and Linfield’s Jude Winchester secured the spoils: Both goals were as a result of Cliftonville’s Eamonn Hughes ariel prowess, which will be well monitored by the Republic’s defence this time around:
Ramsey’s side will have a one game advantage heading into the St: Patrick’s Day festivities following a 2/2 draw at home to Scotland last month in the opening game of the tournament: The visitors came from a goal behind to gain the upper hand and take the lead; however they narrowly missed out on victory following a late Scottish revival: The Northern Ireland goal scorers on the night were Martin Murray and Aaron Harkin:
Archbold is looking forward to the encounter which may prove decisive as they challenge the league leaders on their home turf on Thursday next:
Archbold is well aware of the threat posed by his Northern counterparts having suffered a narrow defeat at home last season to Ramsey’s onslaught (1/2):
The Irish are without four pivotal players in the clash with their cross/border rivals: Colm Horgan has been called up for International duty with the U17s as they set sail for Greece for the UEFA elite qualifying phase:
The other notable absentee is St: Benildus star Paul Mannion who picked up a broken wrist in his Schools All Ireland Semi Final dual with De La Salle, Waterford last week:
The third player absent from the squad is Limerick FC’s Garbhan Coughlan who will miss out due to club commitments: Coughlan proved decisive in front of goal against the Welsh and will be badly missed by the Irish as they prepare to do damage in Belfast:
The fourth and final casualty is the injured John Mountney who also missed out on the Welsh encounter:
Those drafted in however are notably experienced campaigners with a vested interest in impressing the management if called upon: Buncrana’s Mark Timlin will be replacing Horgan, Milford’s Tony McNamee is drafted in for Mannion, Tralee’s Adam Piggott slots in for Coughlan and Tullow’s Eric Molloy will be the replacement for Mountney: The quartet will have a new energy and vitality which will go a long way to pushing them on for a starting eleven spot:
The pressure will be on the experienced campaigners such as Hugh Douglas, Niall Cooney and Stephen Chambers to put in a sterling performance as well as Captain Ryan McLaughlin to make his presence known:
Chris Lyons, Colm McLaughlin and James Kavanagh put in powerful performances last time out and their enormous work rate will hopefully continue into the crunch encounter in three days time:
Archbold’s outfit are in league table contention with Wales and Scotland who share a one point reign on proceedings as England pick up the bottom spot at this stage in proceedings:
Ireland will face the Scots in their penultimate encounter away on April 1, while they will enjoy home advantage to England on April 28 in Tallaght: The game being televised live on Sky Sports as the Shield campaign reaches a conclusion:
The Irish will definitely want to be in contention on the final day so the points on Thursday will be vital to their title race ambitions as they seek to retain their crown on home soil:
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Paul WHITE (Castleisland Community College), Colm MCLAUGHLIN (Scoil Mhuire SS, Buncrana), Adam PIGGOTT (Mercy Secondary School, Mounthawk), Chris LYONS (Presentation, Bray), Tony McNAMEE (Loreto CS, Milford), Ryan MATTHEWS (Clonkeen College, Blackrock), James KAVANAGH (Oatlands College), Greg MURRAY (Phobailscoil Iosolde, Palmerstown), Michael BARKER (Fingal Community College), Mark TIMLIN (Scoil Mhuire SS, Buncrana), Billy LANE (Presentation College, Athenry), Eric MOLLOY (Tullow Community School), Stephen CHAMBERS (St: Fintan’s High School), Niall COONEY (Templeogue College), Conor KEDDY (Carndonagh Community School), Ryan MCLAUGHLIN (Carndonagh Community School), Gary MERRITT (Loreto Community School, Milford), Hugh DOUGLAS (St: Brendan’s College, Bray)
MANAGEMENT: Dave Archbold, Manager (Palmerstown Community School), Ollie Horgan, Coach (St: Eunan’s College, Letterkenny), Hugh Colhoun, Coach (St: Laurence College, Loughlinstown), Ian Carry (GK Coach), Mickey McGlynn (Physiotherapist), Dr: Aidan Colmain (Doctor)
NORTHERN IRELAND: Ross Glendinning, Caoimhin Bonner, Mark Carson, Eamonn Hughes, John McGuigan, Martin Murray, Niall Quinn, Thomas Robinson, Conor Rosato, Jude Winchester, Josh Robinson
Subs: Cathair Friel, Aaron Harkin, Neil Lowry, Caolan McAleer, Sam Boylan, Blane Scott, Calum Birney
CENTENARY SHIELD TABLE 2010/11 SEASON
| Centenary Shield | P | W | D | L | F | A | PTS |
| Northern Ireland | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 4 |
| Republic of Ireland | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Scotland | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Wales | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| England | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Centenary Shield Results & Fixtures 2011
RESULTS:
25 February Northern Ireland 2/2 Scotland (Seaview), KO 1pm
04 March England 0/2 Northern Ireland (AFC Telford United), KO 7pm
04 March Republic of Ireland 2/2 Wales (Killarney Celtic FC), KO 7pm
FIXTURES:
17 March Northern Ireland v Republic of Ireland (The Oval, Belfast), KO 5pm
18 March Wales v Scotland (Newport), KO 7:30pm
25 March England v Wales (Yeovil Town FC), KO 7:30pm
01 April Scotland v Republic of Ireland (Dumfries), KO 7pm
14 April *Wales v Northern Ireland (Airbus UK, Broughton, N: Wales), KO 7:35pm
21 April *Scotland v England (Inverness Caledonian Thistle), KO 7:35pm
28 April *Republic of Ireland v England (Shamrock Rovers FC, Tallaght), KO 7:35pm
*Live on Sky Sports
END